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Flex-Ro: Development And Testing Of A Semi-Autonomous Robotic Planter, Ian Tempelmeyer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The need for more crop production with minimal negative environmental impact is a continuing pursuit around the world. As the population continues to increase at an exponential rate, the demand for food, fiber, fuel, and energy also increases. Robotics and automation are seen as one of the useful technology tools to increase field productivity. This work specifically focuses on addressing labor challenges for one of the most important field operations, planting. A robotic planter unit was designed as part of this work that mounted on unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to perform autonomous planting operation in a 1 ha (2.5 acre) …

Leveraging Steric Moieties For Kinetic Control Of Dna Strand Displacement Reactions, Drew Lysne, Tim Hachigian, Chris Thachuk, Jeunghoon Lee, Elton Graugnard

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

DNA strand displacement networks are a critical part of dynamic DNA nanotechnology and are proven primitives for implementing chemical reaction networks. Precise kinetic control of these networks is important for their use in a range of applications. Among the better understood and widely leveraged kinetic properties of these networks are toehold sequence, length, composition, and location. While steric hindrance has been recognized as an important factor in such systems, a clear understanding of its impact and role is lacking. Here, a systematic investigation of steric hindrance within a DNA toehold-mediated strand displacement network was performed through tracking kinetic reactions of …

Hemodynamic Assessment Of Y-Incision Aortic Root Enlargement Using Computational Simulations, Astitwa Ghimire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Yang procedure is a new aortic root enlargement technique used to enlarge the aortic annulus by multiple valve sizes. The procedure prevents patient prosthesis mismatch and establishes a viable platform for future valve-in-valve implantation. This study used the Yang procedure to investigate the hemodynamics in the aortic root and bioprosthetic valve regions after aortic root enlargement. Results indicate the velocity magnitude at the sinus regions of a patient who underwent the Yang procedure was slower, indicating risks of flow stasis and thrombosis. Simulation results denote computational models can be created for optimization of surgical procedures.

Hydrological Dynamics Of Surface-Groundwater Interactions Between Major Springs Of Mammoth Cave And The Green River, Kentucky, Usa, Matthew Cecil

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Mammoth Cave is an iconic example of the cave and karst systems that underlie over 50% of the United States and provide around 13% of the world’s population with water resources. These environmental features are vulnerable to drought, pollution, and human impacts. The complex hydrological regime of the Mammoth Cave system has been studied in the past, but there are improvements and updates that can be made to the past research. The dynamics of the surface-groundwater system, particularly reversals of the Green River and how it backfloods into the cave, are some examples. Echo River and River Styx Springs provide …

Activation Of The Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Is Attenuated In Hypertensive Compared With Normotensive Pregnancy, Robin C. Shoemaker, Marko Poglitsch, Hong Huang, Katherine Vignes, Aarthi Srinivasan, Cynthia Cockerham-Morris, Aric Schadler, John Anthony Bauer, John O'Brien

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Hypertension during pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but the mechanisms of pregnancy hypertension are not precisely understood. Elevated plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations play an important role in the normal physiologic adaptation to pregnancy. These effectors are reduced in patients with pregnancy hypertension, creating an opportunity to define the features of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) that are characteristic of this disorder. In the current study, we used a novel LC-MS/MS-based methodology to develop comprehensive profiles of RAAS peptides and effectors over gestation in a cohort of 74 pregnant women followed prospectively for the development …

Site-Specific Glyco-Engineering Of Recombinant Thrombomodulin, Joseph M. Keil

ETD Archive

Thrombomodulin (TM), a membrane glycoprotein predominately expressed on endothelium, plays essential roles in regulating local hemostatic balance. Particularly, TM modulates the activity of thrombin from a procoagulant to an anticoagulant protease. When bound to TM, thrombin activates plasma protein C, which selectively inactivates coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. At the same time, TM-bound thrombin is unable to cleave fibrinogen or to activate platelets diminishing its procoagulant activity. recombinant TM456 is a promising anticoagulant candidate, but it has a very short half-life. TM is a proteoglycan and its O-linked glycosaminoglycan (GAG), chondroitin sulfate (CS), on the D3 domain contributes to TM’s …

Machine Learning Based Average Pressure Coefficient Prediction For Isolated High-Rise Buildings, Shiva Sai Reddy Marapakala

ETD Archive

In structural design, the distribution of wind-induced pressure exerted on structures is crucial. The pressure distribution for a particular building is often determined by scale model tests in boundary layer wind tunnels (BLWTs). For all combinations of interesting building shapes and wind factors, experiments with BLWTs must be done. Resource or physical testing restrictions may limit the acquisition of needed data because this procedure might be time-and resource-intensive. Finding a trustworthy method to cyber-enhance data-collecting operations in BLWTs is therefore sought.

This research analyzes how machine learning approaches may improve traditional BLWT modeling to increase the information obtained from tests …

Quantification And Identification Of Neuro-Electrophysiological Markers And Brain Network For Biomedical Applications, Shu Kang

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Electroencephalogram (EEG) can detect and monitor neuro-electrophysiological signals in the human brain, including assessing brain function in newborns at risk of neurological injury and healthy adults undergoing intervention with prefrontal transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM). Moreover, EEG-based brain functional connectivity can be assessed in either resting-state or task-based measurements using graph-theoretical network modeling. However, the management of newborns with mild hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is controversial, and no study has investigated the EEG-based brain network and information flow resulting from HIE. Also, the underlying electrophysiological mechanism of tPBM is still unclear, and further research is needed to determine optimal parameters for tPBM …

Breaking The Lignin Barrier With Termite Tav5 Treatment Technology (T4): Biopower And Biofuel From Agricultural Waste, Hussain Ali

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Bioenergy obtained from anaerobic digestion of lignocellulose biomass is one of the promising candidates to help move towards a fossil fuel free future. Agriculture waste has up to 90% lignocellulose content, and the eight leading US crops produce over 500 million tons of residue each year. Unfortunately, lignin is resistant to microbial attack under low oxygen conditions which normally occur in anaerobic digesters, and it often shields lignocellulose components (cellulose and hemicellulose) from decomposition as well. Traditional physical/chemical methods for destroying lignin are typically costly due to energy and chemical requirements and can create toxic intermediates (Rahimi et al., 2020). …

Assessing The Treatment Efficiency Of Expanded Shale As A Filter Medium In A Bioswale, Ashish Bhurtyal

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

This thesis presents a laboratory investigation focusing on the use of expanded shale as a filter media in bioswales. Bioswales are known for their effectiveness in improving water quality by removing pollutants such as total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity. While conventional filter media with rocks, sand, and mulches have been utilized in bioswales to enhance infiltration capacity, the potential of expanded shale as an engineered media has not been thoroughly assessed and documented. The study conducted a series of thirty experiments involving three different flow conditions to mimic typical Best Management Practices (BMP) applications. The primary focus was on …

The Potential Of Iron Electrodes In Electrochemical Cells For The Stabilization Of Synthetic Urine, Skyler Voisin

All Theses

Source separation and urine treatment present the opportunity to significantly reduce influent concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater treatment plants and to capture those minerals for reuse. This study aims to use electrochemical cells with a sacrificial iron electrode to produce hydrogen peroxide in situ for the stabilization of urea while dissolving ferrous iron ions to promote the precipitation of phosphate into compounds such as vivianite (Fe₃ (PO₄)₂ ∙ 8 H₂O), a precipitate with potential uses in agriculture and manufacturing. Synthetic urine samples were treated as anolyte, then were given time to form …

Experimental Investigation Of Water Quality Impact On The Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Shayan Sharifzad

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Water is an indispensable component in concrete, as it enables crucial chemical reactions. Therefore, the quality of water used in concrete plays a vital role in its performance. Contaminated water, sewage, or high-salt water can disrupt the cement's setting process and overall performance. As a result, it is crucial to prioritize the use of drinking water or water of equivalent quality in concrete production. While the ideal water-to-cement ratio for concrete is typically around 0.20, practical considerations often require a higher water content ranging from 0.30 to 0.70. This increased water consumption is necessary to ensure workability and achieve optimal …

Novel Breath Collection Techniques For Detection Of Covid-19., James Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) generated endogenously in the human body can be used to detect diseases that induce oxidative stress and inflammation. Breath analysis has been used for the detection of diseases such as COPD, Depression, Lung Cancer and most recently COVID-19. Methods such as Exhaled Breath Condensate (EBC), Sorbent Tubes, Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME), and silicon microreactors have shown considerable capability in extracting and concentrating trace VOC’s present in human breath. Silicon microreactors functionalized with capture agents to derivatize carbonyl compounds are effective but the overall maximum flow rate of breath sample possible during analysis is low, making direct …

Prevention And Reversal Of Elastin-Associated And Phosphate-Dependent Arterial Calcification Using Targeted Nanotherapeutics In Pre-Clinical Models, Fatema Tuj Zohora

All Dissertations

Vascular calcification can be life-threatening, involving calcium phosphate crystal deposits in the blood vessels. The calcification in the intimal layer of the arterial wall is usually associated with atherosclerotic plaque build-up that, in the advanced stage, harbors ‘dispersed’ and ‘spotty’ deposits of calcium phosphate crystals in the necrotic core of the plaque. In contrast, medial arterial calcification (MAC) can form independently of atherosclerosis and appears as ‘Railroad-like’ calcific deposits along degraded elastin lamellae in the medial layer of arteries. The mechanisms of such elastin-associated medial arterial calcification and potential therapies are the key concerns of this dissertation. MAC is common …

Development Of Mass Transfer Coefficient Correlations Between Carbon Dioxide And Oxygen For Air-Lift Devices, John Walker

All Theses

An experimental method for measurement and determination of carbon dioxide volumetric mass transfer coefficients (k_La) in high pH water was developed. The goal of this research was to develop a relationship between CO₂ and O₂ volumetric mass transfer coefficients for accurate k_La values in order to meet the needs of carbon capture systems and other industries. Results included dissolved oxygen (DO) and total inorganic carbon (TIC) k_La comparisons, as well as polarographic DO (mg/L) and galvanic DO (mV) k_La correlation. CO₂ k_La estimation based on O_{2 …}

The Impact Of Improper Solid Waste Management On Public Health Of African Cities. The Case Of Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia., Tesfaye Abebe Alemu

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Many African cities are generating an ever-increasing amount of waste and the effectiveness of their solid waste collection and disposal systems is currently declining. Therefore, research has been striving to develop a sustainable and integrated solid waste management system that fits the current challenges facing the local environment. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of improper solid waste management that affects the air and water quality of the near Koshe open dump site and around the Addis Ababa City, and their adverse effect on the public health living around them. The rapid increase of population in …

Low Internal Air Space In Plants With Crassulacean Acid Metabolism May Be An Anatomical Spandrel, Alistair Leverett, Anne Borland, Emma Inge, Samantha Hartzell

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) is a photosynthetic adaptation found in at least 38 plant families. Typically, the anatomy of CAM plants is characterised by large photosynthetic cells and a low percentage of leaf volume comprised of internal air space (% IAS). It has been suggested that reduced mesophyll conductance (g_m) arising from low % IAS benefits CAM plants by preventing the movement of CO₂ out of cells and ultimately minimising leakage of CO₂ from leaves into the atmosphere during day-time decarboxylation. Here, we propose that low % IAS does not provide any adaptive benefit to …

Effect Of Shock Tunnel Geometry On Shockwave And Vortex Ring Formation, Propagation, And Head On Collision, Rachel L. Bauer, Emily M. Johnson, Alexander D. Douglas, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Vortex ring research primarily focuses on the formation from circular openings. Consequently, the role of tunnel geometry is less understood, despite there being numerous research studies using noncircular shock tunnels. This experimental study investigated shockwaves and vortex rings from different geometry shock tunnels from formation at the tunnel opening to head on collision with another similarly formed vortex ring using schlieren imaging and statistical analysis. The velocity of the incident shockwave was found to be consistent across all four shock tunnel geometries, which include circle, hexagon, square, and triangle of the same cross-sectional area. The velocity was 1.2 ± 0.007 …

Combined Behavioral And Engineering Approach To Preventing Highway Fatalities, Benjamin Blandford, Reginald Souleyrette, Caitlin N. Pope, Tony Fields, Erin Lammers-Staats

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traditional, single-discipline highway safety approaches can be augmented through multidisciplinary approaches that consider both engineering and behavioral interventions (e.g., education, enforcement, public outreach campaigns). Leveraging a systems-based conceptual framework of roadway safety, multiple forms of statistical and geospatial analysis, and SPF modeling and network screening, this report proposes and demonstrates methods for unpacking the influence of behavioral-related factors on crash occurrences and outcomes. The primary focus is on behaviors targeted in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan — aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, and driving without proper restraint (i.e., seatbelts). Based on application of these methods, the report highlights areas …

Visual Complexity Of The Time-Frequency Image Pinpoints The Epileptogenic Zone: An Unsupervised Deep-Learning Tool To Analyze Interictal Intracranial Eeg, Sarvagya Gupta

Graduate Masters Theses

Epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, continues to pose significant challenges in diagnosis and treatment, particularly among children. Despite substantial advancements in medical technology and treatment modalities, localization of the part of brain that causes seizures (Epileptogenic Zone) remains a difficult task. Intracranial EEG (iEEG) is often used to estimate the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in children with drugresistant epilepsy (DRE) and target it during surgery. Conventionally, iEEG signals are inspected in the time domain by human experts aiming to locate epileptiform activity.

Visual scrutiny of the iEEG time-frequency (TF) images can be an alternative way to review …

Dynamics And Steering Of A Vibration-Driven Bristle Bot In A Pipe System, Ian Stewart

All Theses

Soft vibrational robots are robots that incorporate compliant structures into their design and are driven by oscillating actuators. A recent, popular version of a soft vibrational robot is the bristle bot, which uses flexible bristles and a vibration motor to propel itself across surfaces and through pipes. This motion is primarily driven by stick-slip dynamics resulting from asymmetric frictional forces applied at the bristle tips. Depending on the frequency of vibration of the motor, the robot experiences various resonance regions allowing it to maneuver in different directions. Attaching bristles to all sides of the robot and placing it in a …

Machine Learning-Based Seismic Damage Assessment Of Residential Buildings Considering Multiple Earthquake And Structure Uncertainties, Xinzhe Yuan, Liujun Li, Haibin Zhang, Yanping Zhu, Genda Chen, Cihan H. Dagli

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Wood-frame structures are used in almost 90% of residential buildings in the United States. It is thus imperative to rapidly and accurately assess the damage of wood-frame structures in the wake of an earthquake event. This study aims to develop a machine-learning-based seismic classifier for a portfolio of 6,113 wood-frame structures near the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in which synthesized ground motions are adopted to characterize potential earthquakes. This seismic classifier, based on a multilayer perceptron (MLP), is compared with existing fragility curves developed for the same wood-frame buildings near the NMSZ. This comparative study indicates that the MLP …

Electrosteric Control Of The Aggregation And Yielding Behavior Of Concentrated Portlandite Suspensions, Sharu Bhagavathi Kandy, Narayanan Neithalath, Mathieu Bauchy, Aditya Kumar, Edward Garboczi, Torben Gaedt, Samanvaya Srivastava, Gaurav Sant

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Portlandite (calcium hydroxide: CH: Ca (OH)2) suspensions aggregate spontaneously and form percolated fractal aggregate networks when dispersed in water. Consequently, the viscosity and yield stress of portlandite suspensions diverge at low particle loadings, adversely affecting their processability. Even though polycarboxylate ether (PCE)-based comb polyelectrolytes are routinely used to alter the particle dispersion state, water demand, and rheology of similar suspensions (e.g., ordinary portland cement suspensions) that feature a high pH and high ionic strength, their use to control portlandite suspension rheology has not been elucidated. This study combines adsorption isotherms and rheological measurements to elucidate the role of PCE composition …

Approximate Entropy And Velocity Of Center Of Pressure To Determine Postural Stability: A Pilot Study, Natalie Tipton, Gordon Alderink, Samhita Rhodes

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

The body’s postural control system is responsible for responding to perturbations of balance and keeping the body upright. During quiet standing, the center of pressure oscillates about the center of mass, counteracting imbalances. These oscillations can be analyzed to determine the degree of stability, which could be helpful in quantifying the effects of brain injuries. In this research, the center of pressure was recorded for stances with feet together and feet tandem, with eyes opened and eyes closed, in neurotypical participants. These signals were analyzed using indices of approximate entropy and velocity to determine how sensitive the measures were in …

Bio-Methane Production From Anaerobic Co-Digestion Of Poultry Litter With Wheat Straw Improved By Process Optimization And Employment Of Advanced Techniques, Yuanhang Zhan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Anaerobic co-digestion (Co-AD) of poultry litter (PL) and wheat straw (WS) for sustainable waste management and simultaneously renewable bioenergy generation was improved by advanced technologies including micro-aeration (MA), biochar addition (BC), nanoparticles supplementation (NP) and their integrations. Response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used for the process modeling and optimization. First, a method by gradually increasing OLR was developed for the start-up of Co-AD of PL and WS in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR), with a continuous daily biogas production of (13.06 ± 0.21) L and methane content (MC) of (54.38 ± 0.53) % observed. …

Assessment Of Integrated Nutrient Management Practices On Soil Health And Nitrogen Efficiency In Cropping Systems, María José Oviedo Ventura

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Groundwater quality in Nebraska is threatened by non-point source contributions of nitrate-nitrogen, primarily by agricultural systems. Intensive crop and livestock production that neglects the value of manure in crop fertility plans can contribute to soil degradation and natural resource impairment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate opportunities to improve agricultural nutrient management throughout Nebraska by quantifying opportunities for manure distribution, evaluating soil health implications of organic and inorganic soil amendments, and assessing nutrient management practices focused on reducing nitrate leaching in agricultural soils.

This study described in Chapter 2 provides a spatial illustration of nitrogen and phosphorus balances …

Biomass-Mediated Metastable Zinc(Ii) Oxide Nanoparticles And Its Nanocomposites For Sustainable Water Treatment, Kazi Afroza Sultana

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Water is undeniably the most crucial resource that allows all living entities to thrive and survive. Due to a continuously growing population and the expansion of industrial sectors, water pollution has emerged as a global issue. Consequently, people face challenges in obtaining the required quantity and quality of water for their daily activities such as drinking, cooking, hygiene, and agriculture. Hence, there is a compelling need to develop an effective and environmentally friendly approach to eliminate harmful pollutants in water, promoting the establishment of a sustainable society with widespread access to clean and safe water resources. Although there are a …

Poly(Alkyl Aldehyde)S: A New Class Of Closed-Loop Recyclable Plastics, Kyle Arnold Nogales

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation will describe a new class of closed-loop recyclable, self-immolative polymers that undergo selective, complete, and rapid depolymerization in the solid state when triggered. Self-immolative poly(alkyl aldehyde)s are synthesized efficiently in approximately 60% yield using anionic polymerization, which provides access to polymers in accessible lengths ranging from short (M_n value of 2 kDa) to long polymers (M_n value of 5,000 kDa). The physical and thermal properties of the polymers can be tuned rationally by appropriate choice of the aldehyde monomer, with some of the polymers displaying mechanical properties that are similar to traditional plastics. The polymers depolymerize …

Analysis Of Emerging Constituents In An Activated Sludge Treatment Facility, Abigail Mae Sigurdson Ryan

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Emerging constituents (ECs), or contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), are pharmaceuticals and personal care products (Contaminants of Emerging Concern including Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products | US EPA, 2023). The primary source of ECs in surface waters is the discharge from wastewater treatment facilities (WWTF) (Kumar et al., 2022). Little is known about the effects treatment processes have on ECs. Research regarding ECs has increased due to the threats they pose to the environment and human health (Khan et al., 2021). This research aimed to expand understanding ECs’ fate through an activated sludge WWTF. This was accomplished by studying concentrations …

Investigating The Causes Of A Landslide In Terra Nativa Subdivision And Designing Slope Stabilization Using Recycled Plastic Pins, Clara Klamm

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

In early 2016, five homes along Alto Via Court in the Terra Nativa Subdivision of the Boise Foothills began to move. By May of 2016, the street was closed due to safety concerns, and a few years later, the homes were demolished. Despite the heartbreak and legal action that followed the event, a definitive cause of the landslide was never identified. To date, the site remains vacant. This research aims to investigate the potential causes of the slide to help identify the contributing factors that resulted in the mishap. In addition, the research seeks to design a way to stabilize …