Digital Commons Network^™

Metabolic Network Modeling To Unravel The Impact Of Copper Deficiency And High-Fat Diet On Liver Metabolism, Naeun Lee

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

Fatty liver disease is a common health problem caused by an imbalance in the intake, utilization, and distribution of energy. High-fat and high-carbohydrate diets have been identified as major risk factors for fatty liver disease. Other contributors and modifiers can also influence the development of liver damage. Intriguingly, inappropriate copper (Cu) levels in the diet and organs are associated with fatty liver disease, though the exact way in which Cu deficiency or toxicity contributes to metabolic issues is not yet clear. Cu is necessary for several biological processes, including energy production and redox balance. Further research should be taken to …

Building Artificial Reefs From Recycled Construction Materials: A Feasibility Study, Nicholas H. Lew

Construction Management

Naturally occurring reefs are some of the world’s most biologically diverse ecosystems formed by jagged rocks tucked slightly below sea level. In recent years global warming began to pose a major threat to many reef habitats. Most relevant is the increase in surface seawater temperatures that cause coral to bleach, taking away major food sources for larger marine species. Researchers have combated this by deploying artificial reefs in substitution for naturally formed limestone rock formations in order to promote the expansion of coastal habitats. This project specifically aims to utilize construction waste towards the production of artificial reefs, effectively upcycling …

Modeling Vehicle-Miles Of Travel Accounting For Latent Heterogeneity, Fatemeh Nazari, Abolfazl (Kouros) Mohammadian

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Vehicle use is associated with negative externalities such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Particularly in the U.S. as a car-oriented country, vehicle use — in terms of vehicle-miles of travel (VMT) — has been on the rise and is projected to increase in the future. To curb the VMT growth and mitigate the associated externalities, policy makers can design informed strategies based on VMT predicted by vehicle use models. However, traditional vehicle use models capture merely the observed heterogeneity across vehicle decision making units (e.g., individuals) and ignore the latent or taste heterogeneity sourced in …

Response Of The Metastable Pitting Corrosion Of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Produced Ti–6al–4v To H+ Concentration Changes, Yuwei Cui, Liangyu Chen, Liqiang Wang, Jun Cheng, Laichang Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is limited research on metastable pitting corrosion in an acidic environment, and acid is a major challenge for material corrosion. Therefore, this work investigated the metastable pitting corrosion of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)-produced Ti–6Al–4V, in Hank’s solution, at different pH values (pH = 3, 5, and 7). This work investigated the effect of acid on the characteristics of passive films, as well as the change in metastable pitting behavior. Based on the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the passive film will be inhibited and dissolved under the influence of H+. The higher …

The Effect Of Relative Humidity On Eddy Covariance Latent Heat Flux Measurements And Its Implication For Partitioning Into Transpiration And Evaporation, Weijie Zhang, Martin Jung, Mirco Migliavacca, Rafael Poyatos, Diego G. Miralles, Tarek S. El-Madany, Marta Galvagno, Arnaud Carrara, Nicola Arriga, Andreas Ibrom, Ivan Mammarella, Dario Papale, Jamie R. Cleverly, Michael Liddell, Georg Wohlfahrt, Christian Markwitz, Matthias Mauder, Eugenie Paul-Limoges, Marius Schmidt, Sebastian Wolf, Christian Brümmer, M. Altaf Arain, Silvano Fares, Tomomichi Kato, Jonas Ardö, Walter Oechel, Chad Hanson, Mika Korkiakoski, Sébastien Biraud, Rainer Steinbrecher, Dave Billesbach, Leonardo Montagnani, William Woodgate, Changliang Shao, Nuno Carvalhais, Markus Reichstein, Jacob A. Nelson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

While the eddy covariance (EC) technique is a well-established method for measuring water fluxes (i.e., evaporation or 'evapotranspiration’, ET), the measurement is susceptible to many uncertainties. One such issue is the potential underestimation of ET when relative humidity (RH) is high (>70%), due to low-pass filtering with some EC systems. Yet, this underestimation for different types of EC systems (e.g. open-path or closed-path sensors) has not been characterized for synthesis datasets such as the widely used FLUXNET2015 dataset. Here, we assess the RH-associated underestimation of latent heat fluxes (LE, or ET) from different EC systems for 163 sites in …

Evolution Of Coronal Magnetic Field Parameters During X5.4 Solar Flare, Seth H. Garland, Benjamin F. Akers, Vasyl B. Yurchyshyn, Robert D. Loper, Daniel J. Emmons

Faculty Publications

The coronal magnetic field over NOAA Active Region 11,429 during a X5.4 solar flare on 7 March 2012 is modeled using optimization based Non-Linear Force-Free Field extrapolation. Specifically, 3D magnetic fields were modeled for 11 timesteps using the 12-min cadence Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager photospheric vector magnetic field data, spanning a time period of 1 hour before through 1 hour after the start of the flare. Using the modeled coronal magnetic field data, seven different magnetic field parameters were calculated for 3 separate regions: areas with surface |Bz| ≥ 300 G, areas of flare brightening seen …

The Aerial Refueling Asset Basing And Assignment Problem, Camryn E. Deames

Theses and Dissertations

With growing tensions in the European theatre and Indo-Pacific theatre, the constraints of aerial refueling impede the missions of Air Mobility Command and USTRANSCOM in their execution of both the National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy. Introducing and integrating semi-autonomous aerial refueling aircraft is a logical next step due to advantages in endurance, survivability, runway requirements, and fuel offloading capacity. This research frames the Aerial Refueling Asset Basing and Assignment Problem with two model approaches: a baseline model and a fuel shuttle concept model. Whereas the former model considers instances with only manned refuelers or only semi-autonomous refuelers, the …

Moisture Sources Of Precipitation In The Great Lakes Region: Climatology And Recent Changes, Zhao Yang, Yun Qian, Pengfei Xue, Jiali Wang, T. C. Chakraborty, William J. Pringle, Jianfeng Li, Xiaodong Chen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Given the critical role of precipitation on hydroclimate, we quantified the contributions of moisture source regions to precipitation in the Great Lakes Region (GLR) using multiple reanalysis data sets. Results show that the Great Plains (GPs) and the GLR itself are the primary sources of moisture. The moisture sources for the double peaks in the GLR precipitation that occur in June and September are identified, which is caused by a shift in the peak timing of moisture contribution from the GLR and GPs. In particular, moisture from the GPs contributes more to the heavy precipitation, while moisture from the GLR …

Topological Variability In Water Distribution Networks, James M. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Water distribution networks are critical infrastructure characterized by difficulties in their assessment and deteriorating performance due to aging components. Resilience analysis of networked infrastructure has replaced traditional risk analysis to focus on performance. Global Resilience Analysis can provide useful information to decision makers and system managers regarding repair and expansion of networks. Network performance has been found to be directly informed by network structure. This work leverages graph theory to assess network qualities that correlate with resiliency characteristics across 69 real world water networks. These networks are then grouped by their structural properties through k-means clustering and compared using parametric …

The Kinetics Of Biocontaminant Inactivation: A Comparative Study With Bacillus Globigii And Bacillus Anthracis, Leigh M. Durden

Theses and Dissertations

Bacillus anthracis has been a biological threat for decades and after the 2001 terrorist attack via the U.S. Postal Service where five people died, there was heightened awareness and inquiry on the subject (Goel, 2015; Greenberg et al., 2010; Nicholson & Galeano, 2003; Spotts Whitney et al., 2003). The health risk to humans makes this biological agent, a Tier 1 agent and one of the most likely to be used in an attack (Anthrax as a Bioterrorism Weapon | CDC, n.d.; Driks, 2009; Rose & Rice, 2014). B. anthracis is one of most resistant and potent biological warfare agents as …

Civilian And Military Civil Engineer Mission In The Space Domain, Linda E. Kuster

Theses and Dissertations

Military and civil interest in space-based operations has increased dramatically in recent years due to the discovery of life sustaining properties such as water on Mars and advancements in cyber technology. Civilian sector discussions and research have centered on the establishment of permanent extraterrestrial infrastructure, while discussions from the military perspective have focused on providing reliable, resilient infrastructure, capable of withstanding cyber-based and kinetic attacks. Both perspectives account for known threats and sustainment methods required to ensure success in the space domain. With the existence of threats for the military and civilian missions, civil engineers will undoubtedly be critical to …

Machine Learning Techniques For Stock Price Prediction And Graphic Signal Recognition, Junde Chen, Yuxin Wen, Y. A. Nanehkaran, M. D. Suzauddola, Weirong Chen, Defu Zhang

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Stock market analysis is extremely important for investors because knowing the future trend and grasping the changing characteristics of stock prices will decrease the risk of investing capital for profit. Thereupon, the prediction of stock prices and identifying the graphic signals of candlestick charts, which are two crucial tasks in stock price analysis, attract much attention from investors owing to the returns and risks that coexist in financial markets. To introduce a reliable approach for addressing these challenges, this paper proposes the modeling strategies based on machine learning (ML) techniques. A vector autoregression (VAR)-based rolling prediction model is proposed for …

Quantum Algorithm For Mining Frequent Patterns For Association Rule Mining, Abdirahman Alasow, Marek Perkowski

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Maximum frequent pattern generation from a large database of transactions and items for association rule mining is an important research topic in data mining. Association rule mining aims to discover interesting correlations, frequent patterns, associations, or causal structures between items hidden in a large database. By exploiting quantum computing, we propose an efficient quantum search algorithm design to discover the maximum frequent patterns. We modified Grover’s search algorithm so that a subspace of arbitrary symmetric states is used instead of the whole search space. We presented a novel quantum oracle design that employs a quantum counter to count the maximum …

Highway To The Comfort Zone: History Of The Psychrometric Chart, Eric Teitelbaum, Clayton Miller, Forrest Meggers

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The psychrometric chart is the most common data visualization technique for the designers of thermal comfort systems worldwide. From its humble roots as means of expressing the characteristics of air in building systems design, the use of the chart has grown to include the representation of the zones of human thermal comfort according to both conventional and adaptive models. In this paper, we present an extensive history of this development and the fallacies with representing comfort simply as a box that sometimes moves on the chart. The origins of the link between refrigeration control and comfort control are examined through …

Development Of Fibroblast/Endothelial Cell-Seeded Collagen Scaffolds For In Vitro Prevascularization, Daniela S. Masson-Meyers, Fahimeh Tabatabaei, Lane Steinhaus, Jeffrey M. Toth, Lobat Tayebi

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The development of vascularized scaffolds remains one of the major challenges in tissue engineering, and co-culturing with endothelial cells is known as one of the possible approaches for this purpose. In this approach, optimization of cell culture conditions, scaffolds, and fabrication techniques is needed to develop tissue equivalents that will enable in vitro formation of a capillary network. Prevascularized equivalents will be more physiologically comparable to the native tissues and potentially prevent insufficient vascularization after implantation. This study aimed to culture human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), alone or in co-culture with fibroblasts, on collagen scaffolds prepared by simple fabrication …

Recent Advances In Centrifugal Spinning And Their Applications In Tissue Engineering, Shaik Merkatur Hakim Marjuban, Musfira Rahman, Syeda Sharmin Duza, Mohammad Boshir Ahmed, Dinesh K. Patel, Md Saifur Rahman, Karen Lozano

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Over the last decade, researchers have investigated the potential of nano and microfiber scaffolds to promote wound healing, tissue regeneration, and skin protection. The centrifugal spinning technique is favored over others due to its relatively straightforward mechanism for producing large quantities of fiber. Many polymeric materials have yet to be investigated in search of those with multifunctional properties that would make them attractive in tissue applications. This literature presents the fundamental process of fiber generation, and the effects of fabrication parameters (machine, solution) on the morphologies such as fiber diameter, distribution, alignment, porous features, and mechanical properties. Additionally, a brief …

Using Switchable Solvents For Enhanced Biodiesel Production, Eyad Abdel Rahman Sowan

Theses

This thesis presents a sustainable approach to biodiesel production using in-situ technology for direct conversion of microalgae-to-biodiesel. The proposed method operates on wet, untreated microalgae, thereby eliminating the cost/energy intensive drying and cell disruption steps. Owing to their favorable properties, the use of enzymes, specifically lipase, as a catalyst for the process was suggested over acid/base catalysts. However, the high cost of the enzyme necessitates its reuse at sustained activity for the process to be economically feasible. The use of non-toxic green solvents, such as switchable solvents, as an alternative to conventional organic solvents was a significant challenge for the …

Analysis Of Vegetable Oil Refining Technology, Elyor Samadov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

Innovative technologies for refining vegetable oils are presented, as well as the qualitative characteristics of raw vegetable oils obtained by extraction and mechanical methods. A general review of the chemical composition and impurities of vegetable oils resulting from the reaction between glycerol and fatty acids is carried out, and a brief review of the study to determine the effect of refining on biologically active components.

The analytical review is devoted to a comparative comparison of two types of refining - chemical and physical refining.

3d Printed Composite Structures For Bone Repair And Drug Delivery Application, Innocent J. Macha

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Due to the increase in traffic accidents, industrial contingencies, and natural disasters, there is a high demand for bone regeneration biomaterials. Although bone can regenerate and self-repair, it is difficult to do so when the defect area exceeds the critical repair area due to trauma, tumour resection, or congenital diseases. The traditional methods for bone repair are autograft, allograft, and xenograft. However, these methods have flaws and limitations, such as complications in the donor bone area, a limited number of donors, rejection, and infectious diseases. However, in recent years, the use of additive manufacturing technologies in bone tissue engineering has …

Extraction And Characterization Of Collagen From Cattle Horns For Potential Wound Healing, Yeriko Halson

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The need for bandages and gauze for wound dressing and healing is inevitable due to the high increase in accidents. Most of the material used for the production of bandages and gauzes for wound healing are from non-renewable synthetic material. The sustainability of non renewable resources is at jeopardy due to the health and associated environmental impact. Consequently, the use of naturally occurring and biodegradable material is a promising solution to the sustainability challenges of synthetic material. In this paper, the extraction of collagen films from cattle horns for potential wound healing is reported. Collagen was extracted from cattle horns …

Multifunctional Microgel-Based Cream Hydrogels For Postoperative Abdominal Adhesion Prevention, Bo Liu, Yunfan Kong, Olawale A. Alimi, Mitchell Kuss, Huiyin Tu, Wenfeng Hu, Abu Rafay, Kumar Vikas, Wen Shi, Megan Lerner, William L. Berry, Yulong Li, Mark A. Carlson, Bin Duan

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Postoperative abdominal adhesions are a common problem after surgery and can produce serious complications. Current anti-adhesive strategies focus mostly on physical barriers and are unsatisfactory and inefficient. In this study, we designed and synthesized advanced injectable cream-like hydrogels with multiple functionalities, including rapid gelation, self-healing, anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, and anti-cellular adhesion. The multifunctional hydrogels were facilely formed by the conjugation reaction of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and hyaluronic acid (HA)-based microgels and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) based on the dynamic boronic ester bond. The physicochemical properties of the hydrogels including anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities were systematically characterized. A mouse cecum-abdominal wall adhesion model …

The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Opportunities And Challenges To The Future Of Mechanical Engineering, Ulingeta O.L. Mbamba

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper provides a conceptual overview of the developments of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and derives challenges and opportunities for the future of the mechanical engineering profession. The paper broadly defines 4IR as the fusion of technologies and interaction across physical, digital and biological aspects, while defining mechanical engineering as "a multi-faceted discipline that encompasses the teaching, practice and guidance of others in the development and application of scientific principles to mechanical systems". The paper looks specifically at developments in the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain technology, robotics, Big Data analytics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, 3D printing and artificial intelligence and …

Cellulose-Keratin Supramolecular Composite: Conformation By Combined Fourier Transform Spectroscopy And Partial Least Square Regression Coefficient, Ngesa Ezekiel Mushi Dr

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Keratin and cellulose are important nano components with excellent mechanical and biological properties. However, the preparation route through dissolution in organic solvents to make manmade materials is challenging because of their intensive bonding interaction characteristics. Structural modification of the natural attributes is difficult to maintain after polymer regeneration. A new technique by a green route was devised to dissolve keratin from wool, hair, and feather with cellulose in situ using 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [BMIm] + Cl- ionic liquid as a solvent. The mixture of keratin and cellulose homogeneously and synergistically resulted in a supramolecular composite film through non-derivatized mechanochemical interactions. The …

Structural Model Of The Technological Process Of Storage And Processing Of Oil Raw Materials, N.A Kabulov

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The technological method of storing and processing oilseed raw materials is structurally modelled in the article. Additionally, it is suggested that the generalized structure be presented as a three-part scheme, consisting of a raw material department, a processing shop, and transportation networks. On the basis of a thorough examination of the characteristics of the constituent parts of the technological complex, a practical model for the problem of the general characteristics of the technological complex is proposed.

Design And Performance Analysis Of Dry Gas Fishbone Wells For Lower Carbon Footprint, Habib Ouadi, Aimen Laalam, Amjed Hassan, Abderraouf Chemmakh, Vamegh Rasouli, Mohamed Mahmoud

Petroleum Engineering Student Publications

Multilateral well drilling technology has recently assisted the drilling industry in improving borehole contact area and reducing operation time, while maintaining a competitive cost. The most advanced multilateral well drilling method is Fishbone drilling (FbD). This method has been utilized in several hydrocarbon fields worldwide, resulting in high recovery enhancement and reduced carbon emissions from drilling. FbD involves drilling several branches from laterals and can be considered as an alternative method to hydraulic fracturing to increase the stimulated reservoir volume. However, the expected productivity of applying a Fishbone well from one field to another can vary due to various challenges …

Split And Join: An Efficient Approach For Simulating Stapled Intestinal Anastomosis In Virtual Reality, Di Qi, Suvranu De

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Colorectal cancer is a life-threatening disease. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Stapled anastomosis is a rapid treatment for colorectal cancer and other intestinal diseases and has become an integral part of routine surgical practice. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no existing work simulating intestinal anastomosis that often involves sophisticated soft tissue manipulations such as cutting and stitching. In this paper, for the first time, we propose a novel split and join approach to simulate a side-to-side stapled intestinal anastomosis in virtual reality. We mimic the intestine model using …

Calculations Of Adsorption-Dependent Refractive Indices Of Metal-Organic Frameworks For Gas Sensing Applications, Nahideh Salehifar, Peter Holtmann, Abhishek Prakash Hungund, Homayoon Soleimani Dinani, Rex E. Gerald, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is One of the Most Challenging Tasks in Modelling Breath Analyzers Because of their Low Concentrations (Parts-Per-Billion (Ppb) to Parts-Per-Million (Ppm)) in Breath and the High Humidity Levels in Exhaled Breaths. the Refractive Index is One of the Crucial Optical Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Which is Changeable Via the Variation of Gas Species and Concentrations that Can Be Utilized as Gas Detectors. Herein, for the First Time, We Used Lorentz–Lorentz, Maxwell–Ga, and Bruggeman Effective Medium Approximation (EMA) Equations to Compute the Percentage Change in the Index of Refraction (∆n%) of ZIF-7, ZIF-8, ZIF-90, …

Steam And Environmental Justice In An Interdisciplinary Context, Paula Farca, Alina Handorean, Jürgen Brune

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This course proposes an interdisciplinary perspective, envisions unique synergies between environmental justice concepts and STEAM projects on mining, and aims to solidify a foundation based on justice, equity, equality, and empathy for STEM students and faculty. Our (S)TEAM made of professors in three academic departments underscores interdisciplinary and diversity connections through an interdisciplinary team-taught course, units on environmental justice related to mining, teaching of literary texts, and STEAM projects. We also involved faculty, alumni, and our campus and city community through STEAM exhibits.

Comprehensive Wind Speed Forecasting-Based Analysis Of Stacked Stateful & Stateless Models, Swayamjit Saha, Amogu Uduka, Hunter Walt, James Lucore

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Wind speed is a powerful source of renewable energy, which can be used as an alternative to the non-renewable resources for production of electricity. Renewable sources are clean, infinite and do not impact the environment negatively during production of electrical energy. However, while eliciting electrical energy from renewable resources viz. solar irradiance, wind speed, hydro should require special planning failing which may result in huge loss of labour and money for setting up the system. In this poster, we discuss four deep recurrent neural networks viz. Stacked Stateless LSTM, Stacked Stateless GRU, Stacked Stateful LSTM and Statcked Stateful GRU which …

Microfluidic Concurrent Assessment Of Red Blood Cell Adhesion And Microcapillary Occlusion: Potential Hemorheological Biomarkers In Sickle Cell Disease, Yuncheng Man, Douglas H. Wu, Ran An, Karamoja Monchamp, Utku Goreke, Zoe Sekyonda, William J. Wulftange, Chiara Federici, Allison Bode, Lalitha V. Nayak, Umut A. Gurkan

Faculty Scholarship

Deformability and non-adherence are two fundamental functional properties of red blood cells (RBCs), which allow them to move unimpeded through the microvasculature. In sickle cell disease (SCD), polymerization of abnormal sickle hemoglobin leads to decreased deformability and increased membrane adhesiveness in RBCs. This contributes to abnormal blood vessel occlusion, which is central to the underlying pathophysiology. RBC deformability and adhesiveness are, therefore key hemorheological biomarkers in characterizing disease states as well as in evaluating novel therapeutics. To date, these important interrelated biomarkers have been assessed in distinct laboratory assays, without integration or concurrent assessment in vitro. To this end, we …