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Comparison Effect On Biogas Production From Vegetable And Fruit Waste With Rumen Digesta Through Co-Digestion Process, Anika Tasnim, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun, Md Anwar Hossen, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Janibul Alam Soeb Jan 2022

Comparison Effect On Biogas Production From Vegetable And Fruit Waste With Rumen Digesta Through Co-Digestion Process, Anika Tasnim, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun, Md Anwar Hossen, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Janibul Alam Soeb

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Biogas is the best renewable energy as it can be produced from any biomass for example any plant or living organism. The purpose of this research was to produce biomethane from co-digestion of vegetable and fruit waste with rumen digesta through anaerobic digestion process. In this research, two trials of experiment were conducted. Each trial has three different sample with different mixing ratios. Raw materials used in the experiment was rumen digesta of goat and cow, potato, capsicum, cucumbers, onions, radish, cauliflower, carrot, leafy vegetables, apple, banana, and papaya. In each sample, 1200 gram of raw materials were used. Hydraulic …


Influences Of Artificial Light On Mating Of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens): A Review, Md Rabiul Awal, Md Masudur Rahman, Md Abdur Razzak Choudhury, Md Mehedi Hasan, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Fuad Mondal Jan 2022

Influences Of Artificial Light On Mating Of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens): A Review, Md Rabiul Awal, Md Masudur Rahman, Md Abdur Razzak Choudhury, Md Mehedi Hasan, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Fuad Mondal

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a potential insect species which can convert biodegradable materials and some indigestible organic waste into valuable biomass. Because of having good quality of fat and protein, its production and use in animal feed are being extended day by day. To fulfill the future demand re-searchers are trying to find out the successful mass rearing techniques of H. illucens in laboratory or indoor condition. However, the most critical part of H. illucens mass production is obtaining successful mating. This insect is very sensitive to light. It prefers direct sunlight for its …


Recent Advances In Biosensors For Detection Of Covid-19 And Other Viruses, Shobhit K. Patel, Jaymit Surve, Juveriya Parmar, Kawsar Ahmed, Francis M. Bui, Fahad Ahmed Al-Zahrani Jan 2022

Recent Advances In Biosensors For Detection Of Covid-19 And Other Viruses, Shobhit K. Patel, Jaymit Surve, Juveriya Parmar, Kawsar Ahmed, Francis M. Bui, Fahad Ahmed Al-Zahrani

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

This century has introduced very deadly, dangerous, and infectious diseases to humankind such as the influenza virus, Ebola virus, Zika virus, and the most infectious SARS-CoV-2 commonly known as COVID-19 and have caused epidemics and pandemics across the globe. For some of these diseases, proper medications, and vaccinations are missing and the early detection of these viruses will be critical to saving the patients. And even the vaccines are available for COVID-19, the new variants of COVID-19 such as Delta, and Omicron are spreading at large. The available virus detection techniques take a long time, are costly, and complex and …


A Robot-Assisted Acoustofluidic End Effector, Jan Durrer, Prajwal Agrawal, Ali Ozgul, Stephen C.F. Neuhauss, Nitesh Nama, Daniel Ahmed Jan 2022

A Robot-Assisted Acoustofluidic End Effector, Jan Durrer, Prajwal Agrawal, Ali Ozgul, Stephen C.F. Neuhauss, Nitesh Nama, Daniel Ahmed

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Liquid manipulation is the foundation of most laboratory processes. For macroscale liquid handling, both do-it-yourself and commercial robotic systems are available; however, for microscale, reagents are expensive and sample preparation is difficult. Over the last decade, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems have come to serve for microscale liquid manipulation; however, lacking automation andmulti-functionality. Despite their potential synergies, each has grown separately and no suitable interface yet exists to link macro-level robotics with micro-level LOC or microfluidic devices. Here, we present a robot-assisted acoustofluidic end effector (RAEE) system, comprising a robotic arm and an acoustofluidic end effector, that combines robotics and microfluidic functionalities.We …


The Third International Hackathon For Applying Insights Into Large-Scale Genomic Composition To Use Cases In A Wide Range Of Organisms, Kimberly Walker, Divya Kalra, Rebecca Lowdon, Guangyi Chen, Fritz J. Sedlazeck, Ben Busby, Chia-Sin Liew, Et Al. Jan 2022

The Third International Hackathon For Applying Insights Into Large-Scale Genomic Composition To Use Cases In A Wide Range Of Organisms, Kimberly Walker, Divya Kalra, Rebecca Lowdon, Guangyi Chen, Fritz J. Sedlazeck, Ben Busby, Chia-Sin Liew, Et Al.

Nebraska Center for Biotechnology: Faculty and Staff Publications

In October 2021, 59 scientists from 14 countries and 13 U.S. states collaborated virtually in the Third Annual Baylor College of Medicine & DNANexus Structural Variation hackathon. The goal of the hackathon was to advance research on structural variants (SVs) by prototyping and iterating on open-source software. This led to nine hackathon projects focused on diverse genomics research interests, including various SV discovery and genotyping methods, SV sequence reconstruction, and clinically relevant structural variation, including SARS-CoV-2 variants. Repositories for the projects that participated in the hackathon are available at https://github.com/collaborativebioinformatics.


Blast-Building Leaders For Advancing Science And Technology: A Partnership Between The Virginia Space Grant Consortium And The University Of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, And Old Dominion University, Cynthia Tomovic, Mary Sandy, Julie Back, Vukica Jovanovic, Kim Lester, Edward Murphy, Sueanne Mckinney, Mileta Tomovic Jan 2022

Blast-Building Leaders For Advancing Science And Technology: A Partnership Between The Virginia Space Grant Consortium And The University Of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, And Old Dominion University, Cynthia Tomovic, Mary Sandy, Julie Back, Vukica Jovanovic, Kim Lester, Edward Murphy, Sueanne Mckinney, Mileta Tomovic

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This paper presents the development and delivery of educational summer intensive programs for high school students that are designed to encourage students’ interests in the STEM-related fields and the motivation to pursue a STEM-related degrees in college. BLAST (Building Leaders to Advance Science and Technology) is designed as a summer-intensive, residential, on-campus STEM-learning experience for rising ninth and tenth graders. With the intention of improving the STEM-related workforce pipeline in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) offers multiple BLAST programs across the Commonwealth. BLAST programs are designed as intensive three-day, STEM-related three-hour lecture-lab experiences that are reinforced …


What Are The Desired Properties Of Recycling-Derived Fertilisers From An End-User Perspective?, Aoife Egan, Amrita Saju, Ivona Sigurnjak, Erik Meers, Niamh Power Jan 2022

What Are The Desired Properties Of Recycling-Derived Fertilisers From An End-User Perspective?, Aoife Egan, Amrita Saju, Ivona Sigurnjak, Erik Meers, Niamh Power

Publications

The circular economy aims to promote the use of recycled products and to close the nutrient cycle loop by avoiding nutrient leakage and detrimental environmental effects, while also reducing the dependency on fossil fuels. The production of nitrogen is energy-intensive, requiring natural gas, whereas, finite resources like phosphorus and potassium are mined. Recent developments in nutrient recovery technologies have resulted in different types of recycling-derived fertilisers (RDFs) with the potential to substitute commonly used synthetic mineral fertilisers. This study aims to understand perceptions and preferences regarding the properties and parameters that end-users find important in RDFs. A better understanding of …


On-Site Analyses As A Decision Support Tool For Dredging And Sustainable Sediment Management, Bruno Lemière, Valérie Laperche, Arjan Wijdeveld, Marco Wensveen, Richard Lord, Alasdair Hamilton, Laurence Haouche, Mathieu Henry, Joe Harrington, Branislav Batel, Pascal Lehette Jan 2022

On-Site Analyses As A Decision Support Tool For Dredging And Sustainable Sediment Management, Bruno Lemière, Valérie Laperche, Arjan Wijdeveld, Marco Wensveen, Richard Lord, Alasdair Hamilton, Laurence Haouche, Mathieu Henry, Joe Harrington, Branislav Batel, Pascal Lehette

Publications

Beneficial use of dredged sediments, either in harbours or waterways, is based on their potential as alternative resources. Such sediments can be considered as bulk materials for industrial needs, which is predicated on their current waste status or meeting end-of-waste constraints. They also can be an integral part of beneficial use projects using sediments as a bulk component, including civil engineering and landscaping. This is particularly important for beneficial use projects focusing on climate change effects mitigation, such as flood protection works, coastline defence or littoral urban areas redevelopment. When dredged sediment is used as a bulk material, its acceptability …


Comparison Of Stationary And Mobile Canopy Sensing Systems For Irrigation Management Of Maize And Soybean In Nebraska, Sandeep Bhatti, Derek M. Heeren, Susan A. O’Shaughnessy, Steven R. Evett, Mitchell S Maguire, Suresh Pradhyun Kashyap, Christopher M. U. Neale Jan 2022

Comparison Of Stationary And Mobile Canopy Sensing Systems For Irrigation Management Of Maize And Soybean In Nebraska, Sandeep Bhatti, Derek M. Heeren, Susan A. O’Shaughnessy, Steven R. Evett, Mitchell S Maguire, Suresh Pradhyun Kashyap, Christopher M. U. Neale

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate knowledge of plant and field characteristics is crucial for irrigation management. Irrigation can potentially be better managed by utilizing data collected from various sensors installed on different platforms. The accuracy and repeatability of each data source are important considerations when selecting a sensing system suitable for irrigation management. The objective of this study was to compare data from multispectral (red and near-infrared bands) and thermal (long wave thermal infrared band) sensors mounted on different platforms to investigate their comparative usability and accuracy. The different sensor platforms included stationary posts fixed on the ground, the lateral of a center pivot …


Inspiring Young Students To Pursue Engineering, Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Brian Steward Jan 2022

Inspiring Young Students To Pursue Engineering, Tami M. Brown-Brandl, Brian Steward

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Imagine elementary school students understanding inputs and outputs, choosing appropriate sensors, and programming an autonomous robot. Imagine middle school students learning about PID control and creating advanced programs for sensor-based decision making. Imagine high school students using CAD to design drive trains, manufacturing parts with CNC machine tools, using finite element analysis to adjust the design, ordering custom components from a machine shop, using image processing for target recognition, and applying path planning and motion control. We have witnessed all of these skills. They happened outside of traditional classrooms, and they were all student-driven.

Yes, it’s true, and it’s amazing. …


Blockchain-Technology-Based Solutions For Iot Security, Israa Al-Barazanchi, Aparna Murthy, Ahmad Abdul Qadir Al Rababah, Ghadeer Khader, Haider Rasheed Abdulshaheed, Elika Daghighi, Yitong Niu Jan 2022

Blockchain-Technology-Based Solutions For Iot Security, Israa Al-Barazanchi, Aparna Murthy, Ahmad Abdul Qadir Al Rababah, Ghadeer Khader, Haider Rasheed Abdulshaheed, Elika Daghighi, Yitong Niu

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

After a long period of development, blockchain innovation has received much attention from scholarsand industry practitioners alike. This innovation allows the issuance of smart contracts, which are utilised to automateand execute deals amongst clients. Blockchain is also being used nowadays by a few IT applications as a specialisedfoundation. This technology also prevents the duplication of information similar to what is being done with Bitcoinand other cryptocurrencies. Specifically, Bitcoin records are virtually impossible to alter as this cryptocurrency isbeing traded amongst hundreds of thousands of servers. Therefore, to launch a successful attack, the aggressor shouldchange the Bitcoin records of 51% of …


Effect Of Reduction Methods On The Properties Of Composite Films Of Bacterial Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticles, Ratchanon Jenkhongkarn Jan 2022

Effect Of Reduction Methods On The Properties Of Composite Films Of Bacterial Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticles, Ratchanon Jenkhongkarn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Composite films of bacterial cellulose-silver nanoparticles (BC-Ag) were prepared by different methods of in-situ reduction of silver, using sodium hydroxide, ascorbic acid, chitosan, and UV irradiation. The effects of the reduction methods on their properties were investigated. The chitosan-reduced composite exhibited dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) within the nanocellulose matrix with the smallest size, while the ascorbic-reduced composite displayed the largest size. The incorporation of AgNPs tended to reduce the crystallinity of the composites, except for the ascorbic-reduced composite which exhibited an increase in crystallinity. Mechanical testing revealed that the ascorbic-reduced composite had the highest Young's modulus of 8960 MPa, whereas …


การนับพลัคไวรัสโดยใช้ค่าขีดคู่และขั้นตอนวิธีสันปันน้ำ, นิตยา คำดี Jan 2022

การนับพลัคไวรัสโดยใช้ค่าขีดคู่และขั้นตอนวิธีสันปันน้ำ, นิตยา คำดี

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การนับจำนวนไวรัสด้วยจำนวน Plaque Forming Unit (PFU) เพื่อทำการทดลองในด้านต่างๆ เช่นการผลิตวัคซีน สามารถทำได้ด้วยการใช้ตาเปล่าซึ่งส่งผลให้เกิดความเหนื่อยล้า ใช้เวลานานและเกิดข้อผิดพลาดได้ง่าย การนับด้วยวิธีที่รวดเร็วและแม่นยำต้องคำนึงหลายปัจจัย เนื่องจาก PFU มีรูปร่างไม่แน่นอน ขอบไม่เด่นชัด ขนาดไม่สม่ำเสมอ รวมถึงความแตกต่างกันของสีระหว่าง PFU และพื้นหลังภายในจานหลุมไม่คงที่ วิทยานิพนธ์ฉบับนี้เสนอสร้างกรรมวิธีการนับ PFU แบบกึ่งอัตโนมัติจากภาพจานเพาะเลี้ยงที่ได้จากกล้องถ่ายรูปทั่วไปที่ไม่มีการควบคุมแสง เริ่มจากการจำแนก PFU กับพื้นหลังด้วยค่าขีดเริ่มเปลี่ยนแบบปรับตัวได้ โดยถ้าเป็น PFU ขนาดเล็กจะใช้ค่าขีดเริ่มเปลี่ยนบริเวณขอบและกลางหลุมแตกต่างกัน ขณะที่ถ้าเป็น PFU ขนาดใหญ่จะใช้ค่าขีดเริ่มเปลี่ยนเดียวกันทั้งหลุม ปัญหาเรื่องสีย้อมที่ต่างกันถูกแก้โดยใช้ผลต่างของสองช่องสัญญาณในปริภูมิสี CIE-XYZ ที่มีการถ่วงน้ำหนักให้ความสว่างของพื้นหลังเท่ากัน การแบ่งพื้นที่ของ PFU ที่ติดกันประกอบด้วยสองส่วนคือ กระบวนการวิธีสันปันน้ำร่วมกับการแปลงระยะทางและการใช้เกณฑ์ขนาดร่วมกับการขยายของจุดศูนย์กลางที่ได้จากภาพการแปลงระยะทางเป็นวงกลม จากการทดลองพบว่าเมื่อปรับค่าถ่วงน้ำหนักให้เหมาะสมแล้ว กรรมวิธีที่นำเสนอสามารถนับ PFU ผิดพลาดน้อยกว่าร้อยละ 10 สำหรับ PFU ที่เป็นสีขาว มีขอบราบเรียบและไม่มีรูตรงกลาง จึงสามารถนำมาใช้กับ PFU ของไวรัสไข้เลือดออก ไวรัสไข้ปวดข้อยุงลายและไวรัสไข้สมองอักเสบ การนับจะได้ผลผิดพลาดมากขึ้นสำหรับ PFU ที่มีสีชมพูปะปน เช่น ไวรัสไข้ซิก้าและ PFU ที่มีขอบฟุ้ง เช่น PFU ของไวรัสโคโรนา


The Study Of 3d Micro-Fluid Printing In Aqueous Two-Phase System, Mian Huang Jan 2022

The Study Of 3d Micro-Fluid Printing In Aqueous Two-Phase System, Mian Huang

Dissertations and Theses

Aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) is a technology that allows phase separation in an aqueous environment. This technology can be used for the separation, extraction and purification of a variety of biomolecules and thus gained great attention in industry and academia. This thesis is a combination of ATPS, 3D printing, and microfluidics technologies and realizes the printing of biocompatible aqueous structures in another aqueous matrix. The objectives of this thesis include 1) customizing a regular thermal extrusion 3D printer for printing 3D aqueous structures, 2) printing 3D aqueous structure in an aqueous matrix, and 3) studying the stability of the printed …


Novel Mechanisms Of Dc And Kilohertz Electrical Stimulation, Zeinab Esmaeilpour Jan 2022

Novel Mechanisms Of Dc And Kilohertz Electrical Stimulation, Zeinab Esmaeilpour

Dissertations and Theses

Transcranial electrical stimulation is a promising technique where a weak electrical current is applied to the scalp with the goal of modulating brain activity. Understanding the cellular mechanism of direct current (DC) and kilohertz (kHz) electrical stimulation is of broad interest in neuromodulation. More specifically, there is a large mismatch between enthusiasm for clinical applications of the method and understanding of DC and kHz novel mechanisms of action. This dissertation is centered around two main fundamental aims: 1) systematic study of the acute and long-term effects of kilohertz electrical stimulation and amplitude-modulated waveform with kHz carrier frequency using a well-established …


Impact Of Percutaneous Transluminal Intervention On Vascular Hypoxia And The Role Of Micro-Calcifications On Atherosclerotic Plaque Rupture, Andrea Corti Jan 2022

Impact Of Percutaneous Transluminal Intervention On Vascular Hypoxia And The Role Of Micro-Calcifications On Atherosclerotic Plaque Rupture, Andrea Corti

Dissertations and Theses

Atherosclerotic disease is initiated by cholesterol build-up beneath the endothelium, which evolves into a fibroatheroma, a lipid-rich plaque covered by a fibrous cap. Many of these plaques are considered as vulnerable, as they grow to occlude the luminal section of the artery (chronically stenotic) or become mechanically unstable with a higher chance of rupturing (rupture-prone). On one hand, chronically stenotic vulnerable plaques are symptomatic lesions that are often treated with Percutaneous Transluminal Intervention (PTI). Unfortunately, approximately 10% of PTI procedures are followed by severe Neointima Hyperplasia (NH), which causes a new occlusion and failure of the implant. A significant precursor …


Design And Control Of Quasi-Direct Drive Actuation For Lightweight And Versatile Wearable Robots, Shuangyue Yu Jan 2022

Design And Control Of Quasi-Direct Drive Actuation For Lightweight And Versatile Wearable Robots, Shuangyue Yu

Dissertations and Theses

Wearable robots have shown great potential for augmenting the physical capabilities of humans in lab settings. However, wearable robots for augmenting the physical capabilities of humans under community-based conditions are the new frontier of robotics. Furthermore, the design and control are still considered to be grand challenges for providing physical augmentation for humans. In terms of design, the state-of-the-art exoskeletons are typically rigid, bulky, and limited to lab settings. In terms of control, most of the rhythmic controllers are not versatile and are focused only on steady-state walking assistance.

The motivation behind my research is to improve both the design …


Fundamentals Of Microgel Flooding And Nanoparticles-Stabilized Foams In Enhanced Oil Recovery, Shuaijun Li Jan 2022

Fundamentals Of Microgel Flooding And Nanoparticles-Stabilized Foams In Enhanced Oil Recovery, Shuaijun Li

Dissertations and Theses

For centuries oil has remained a critical energy source for human civilization. After years of extraction, many oil fields have reached or are reaching a decline stage of production, even though up to a half of the total crude oil reserves in these fields has not been recovered yet. One reason is due to the structural heterogeneity of the oil reservoirs—reservoirs may consist of regions of higher permeability with larger pore size and regions of lower permeability with smaller pore size. Displacing fluids tend to flow through large permeability zones only without reaching the oil trapped in low permeability region; …


The Impact Of Covid-19 On Building Energy Consumption In New York City, Martha A. Olaleye Jan 2022

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Building Energy Consumption In New York City, Martha A. Olaleye

Dissertations and Theses

Since February 2020, the spread of COVID-19 affected the world economy, with the population of people contacting the virus in New York City at that time being at the highest in the United States of America. Thus, the need for remote/online learning was adopted for the safety of faculty, staffs, and students of New York Educational institution like CCNY. In the study, I focused on energy consumption as regards to COVID and POST-COVID periods in New York City (NYC), since most employees are working from home and schools are online which implies that most commercial buildings are vacant. Also due …


Osseointegration Of A Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty In A Murine Model Of Glucocorticoid Induced Osteoporosis, Elexis C. Baral Jan 2022

Osseointegration Of A Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty In A Murine Model Of Glucocorticoid Induced Osteoporosis, Elexis C. Baral

Dissertations and Theses

Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis (GIOP) is the second largest cause of osteoporosis worldwide. Glucocorticoid-Induced osteoporosis is rapidly, driven principally by deficient osteoblast activity (i.e., decreased bone formation) rather than increased osteoclastic activity. Glucocorticoid-type steroids (GC) are used long-term typically for inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune disorders. Inflammatory arthritis often leads to joint replacement at relatively young ages. However, patients who are on GC treatment appear to have poorer outcomes for total joint arthroplasty compared to healthy patients. This is thought to be due to the anti-anabolic effects of GCs and impaired bone healing and osseous …


Nonlinear Light - Matter Interactions Of Ultrafast High Intensity Laser Pulses, Henry Meyer Jan 2022

Nonlinear Light - Matter Interactions Of Ultrafast High Intensity Laser Pulses, Henry Meyer

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis focuses on the key nonlinear optical effects that arise from the interactions of intense ultrafast laser pulses with various states of matter. These interactions involve electronic and molecular states and yield new information on the underlying fundamental processes that govern the molecular world. Modern day lasers offer ultrashort pulses, high intensities, and complex polarizations and wavefronts. These extreme conditions have profound effect on the optical properties and behaviors of electronic and molecular states within a material. The changes in these mechanisms effect generation of nonlinear optics, such supercontinuum (SC), stimulated Raman (SRS), self-focusing and filamentation, conical emission (CE), …


Computational Model Of Electroconvulsive Therapy Considering Electric Field Dependent Skin Conductivity, Gozde Unal Jan 2022

Computational Model Of Electroconvulsive Therapy Considering Electric Field Dependent Skin Conductivity, Gozde Unal

Dissertations and Theses

Improvements in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) outcomes have followed refinement in device electrical output and electrode montage. The physical properties of the ECT stimulus, together with those of the patient’s head, determine the impedances measured by the device and govern current delivery to the brain and ECT outcomes. However, the precise relations among physical properties of the stimulus, patient head anatomy, and patient-specific impedance to the passage of current are long-standing questions in ECT research and practice. In this thesis, we develop a computational framework based on diverse clinical data sets. We developed anatomical MRI-derived models of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) …


Droplets In An Electric Field: Surface Rheology, Coalescence And Rebound, Yu Han Jan 2022

Droplets In An Electric Field: Surface Rheology, Coalescence And Rebound, Yu Han

Dissertations and Theses

Electrocoalescence is the process in which pairs of conducting droplets suspended in a continuous dielectric (nonconducting) liquid phase are drawn together and merge upon the application of an electric field. The electric field polarizes each of the droplets in the field direction. The polarization causes the drops to deform and drives a dipolar attraction which forces them to approach each other and coalesce. Many technologies use electric fields to manipulate fluid dispersions. Electrocoalescence is an essential unit operation for separating water droplets in a crude oil. This water in oil emulsion is stabilized by surfactants, such as asphaltenes, resins and …


Development Of Cellulose-Based, Semi-Interpenetrating Network Hydrogels As Tissue-Adhesive, Thermoresponsive, Injectable Implants, Jesse Martin Jan 2022

Development Of Cellulose-Based, Semi-Interpenetrating Network Hydrogels As Tissue-Adhesive, Thermoresponsive, Injectable Implants, Jesse Martin

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract Development of Cellulose-Based, Semi-Interpenetrating Network Hydrogels as Tissue-Adhesive, Thermoresponsive, Injectable Implants

Hydrogels are three-dimensional polymer networks with high water content and tunable mechanical properties, which have been widely investigated as replacements for soft tissues, such as the intervertebral disc (IVD). Various derivatives of the plant polysaccharide, cellulose, have been explored for use as injectable hydrogel implants. Methylcellulose (MC), which exhibits thermogelation at temperatures above 32°C, and relatively hydrophilic carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC), are versatile cellulosic polymers that have shown promise as base materials for such applications. In prior work, functionalization with methacrylate groups allowed for the formation of stable, covalently crosslinked …


Low-Intensity Ultrasonic Neuromodulation Of The Rat Hippocampus, Duc Nguyen Jan 2022

Low-Intensity Ultrasonic Neuromodulation Of The Rat Hippocampus, Duc Nguyen

Dissertations and Theses

Techniques to non-invasively modulate brain activity are important for mapping human brain circuits, and also for the treatment of a host of neurological and psychiatric disorders marked by aberrant brain activity. Though a wide range of techniques for non-invasive neuromodulation have been proposed, the conventional approaches suffer from significant limitations. Most notably, focal stimulation of deep brain regions is presently only possible with invasive optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches that require craniotomies and genetic access to the brain.

Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) possesses many of the characteristics desirable from a neuromodulation approach: non-invasiveness, a spatial resolution in the order of …


Investigation Of Reactions Occurring In Municipal Solid Waste Residues, Tasnuva T. Moutushi Jan 2022

Investigation Of Reactions Occurring In Municipal Solid Waste Residues, Tasnuva T. Moutushi

Dissertations and Theses

Each year more than 290 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated in the U.S. Understanding the reactions occurring in waste during disposal, transport, and storage is important to move towards an integrated waste management strategy. Recently some landfills in the U.S. have been reported to exceed the regulatory temperature range, causing numerous regulatory challenges. The reason for this phenomenon is still unidentified. In addition, the co-disposal of the MSW ash in landfills lead to various reactions which can impact the landfill environment. Understanding the reactions occurring in the MSW and in ash is essential to minimize and …


Shear Thickening In Dense Bidisperse Suspensions By Dynamic Simulation, Nelya Malbranche Jan 2022

Shear Thickening In Dense Bidisperse Suspensions By Dynamic Simulation, Nelya Malbranche

Dissertations and Theses

Shear thickening, which corresponds to an increase of viscosity with shear rate, is ubiquitously observed in many concentrated suspensions and, as such, has implications for many industrial materials and geological phenomena. Controlling shear thickening is of significant importance, and many studies have been devoted to it. Recent works link shear thickening to the shear-induced transition from a lubricated particle interaction at low shear stress to a predominantly frictional interaction at high stress. In this dissertation, we investigate bidispersity and focus on mechanisms contributing to the viscosity evolution in rate-dependent suspensions, something that has not been addressed before. We perform detailed …


Exosome- And Microrna-Based Therapeutic Approach For Tendinopathy, Angela Wang Ilaltdinov Jan 2022

Exosome- And Microrna-Based Therapeutic Approach For Tendinopathy, Angela Wang Ilaltdinov

Dissertations and Theses

Tendinopathy, characterized by degeneration and chronic inflammation, is a significant clinical burden. Current treatments focus on symptom management but do not sufficiently address its underlying pathology; however, stem cell-based approaches aimed at repairing diseased tissues may overcome this limitation. Therapeutic effects of stem cells may be due in part to paracrine actions, including some mediated by exosomes – extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that play a role in cell communication. MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA carried by exosomes, are likely responsible for many exosome effects. Exosomes and miRNA therapies show promise in treating diseases such as cancer and arthritis, but …


Impact Of Covid-19 On Aviation-Wildlife Strikes Across Europe, Isabel C. Metz, Marta Giordano, Dionysios Ntampakis, Marianna Moira, Anneke Hamann, Rosanne Blijleven, Jürgen J. Ebert, Alessandro Montemaggiori Jan 2022

Impact Of Covid-19 On Aviation-Wildlife Strikes Across Europe, Isabel C. Metz, Marta Giordano, Dionysios Ntampakis, Marianna Moira, Anneke Hamann, Rosanne Blijleven, Jürgen J. Ebert, Alessandro Montemaggiori

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Collisions between aircraft and wildlife (i.e., wildlife strikes) pose a serious threat toward the safety of aircraft, its crew, and passengers. The effects of COVID-19 related travel restrictions on wildlife strikes are unknown. With this study, we aim to address this information gap by assessing the changes of wildlife hazard management performance across European airports during the lockdown period (e.g., period of reduced operations and borders closure in spring 2020). We also sought to raise awareness of the importance of wildlife strike prevention in times of reduced operations. The objective of our study was to compare wildlife strike data before …


Prolonged Exposure To Microgravity Increases Susceptibility To Traumatic Brain Injury, Ryan Baskerville Jan 2022

Prolonged Exposure To Microgravity Increases Susceptibility To Traumatic Brain Injury, Ryan Baskerville

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the prospect of semi-permanent and permanent habitable fixtures on the moon and Mars, the complications associated with long-term exposure to microgravity should be investigated exhaustively. Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome (SANS), a group of neurological and ocular effects resulting from prolonged exposure to microgravity, is characterized by significant fluid shifts into the cranium, namely cerebrospinal fluid and blood, and an upward shift of the brain relative to the skull. This syndrome, along with its immediate effects on visual acuity, cognitive ability, and motor function are recognized by NASA, but its effects on susceptibility to traumatic brain injury have yet to …