Digital Commons Network^™

C. Difficile Detection Method For First Responder Glove Application, Alli N. Senedak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Clostridioides Difficile (C. diff) is a Anaerobic Gram-positive bacillus that is capable of spore formation, making it difficult to control its spread and duration in clinical environments. This phenomenon can provide danger to first responders, healthcare workers, and patients. The goal of this project is to create a biosensor capable of detecting C. diff in a clinical setting that can be applied to a glove apparatus. The project will involve the use of C. diff aptamers activated on the surface of an electrode. Once surface activation has been verified via surface analysis, the electrodes will be exposed to C. diff …

Investigating The Interaction Of Gram-Positive Lactobacillus Species With Mucin In The Context Of Barrett's Esophagus, Ritisha Suresh

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) can progress to the precancerous Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) condition, in which the normal esophageal squamous epithelium is replaced with a columnar epithelium containing goblet cells. Mucins, sticky substances, are secreted in response to bile acid exposure during reflux episodes to protect the esophageal epithelium. Goblet cells secrete these mucins, which can also scaffold microbial colonization. Probiotic Lactobacillus bacteria can use glycosidase enzymes to process mucin and metabolize them into their component sugars (glycans). This project aims to identify the role of the Lactobacillus-mucin interaction in BE, as glycan availability could confer an advantage to Lactobacillus …

Harmonic Mitigation And Reactive Power Support Using Dpfc And Upfc In Grid‑Connected Solar Pv Systems: A Comparative Performance Evaluation, Abhishek Vashistha, Dharmbir Prasad, Rudra Pratap Singh

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Harmonic distortion, reactive power imbalance, and voltage instability represent major challenges regarding the power quality of grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Various recently developed flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices such as the unified power flow controller (UPFC) and distributed power flow controller (DPFC), however, have made them possible solutions but still do not provide a quantitative comparison in similar dynamic conditions. In this paper, comparative performance analysis of UPFC and DPFC in 3 MW grid connected solar PV system using Matlab Simulink is presented. The two controllers are affected by same disturbances, namely irradiance step change at t = …

Multi-Method Energy Optimization: Linear Programming, Hmm Modeling And Arduino-Based Simulations, A.E. El-Alfy, Eman Elayat, M. A. E. Sheta

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This paper presents the simulation and optimization of hybrid energy systems integrating renewable energy and storage technologies. Linear Programming (LP) is utilized to minimize operational costs, while a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) improves reliability by accurately predicting energy flow. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation in Proteus demonstrates efficient energy trading, significantly reducing dependence on conventional sources. The results from a 24-hour analysis show that the system achieves an 87.14% load factor, indicating high efficiency in utilizing the system's rated capacity, 26.23 system reliability, and a 20% improvement in cost efficiency and enhanced sustainability, providing a robust and practical framework for hybrid energy solutions …

Explainable Multi-Horizon Wind Power Forecasting Via Aquila-Optimized Machine Learning Models, Mostafa A. Abdelnaby, Nahla B. Abdel-Hamid, Eman M. El-Gendy, Mahmoud M. Saafan

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The inherently unpredictable nature of wind energy necessitates the development of sophisticated forecasting models to ensure grid stability and optimal distribution. In this research, we propose a novel and systematic approach to wind power forecasting (WPF) across diverse timescales. This approach leverages the power of various machine learning (ML) models, metaheuristic hyperparameter optimization, and utilizes explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). The developed methodology is based on the Aquila optimizer (AO), capable of automatically adjusting different ML models for four different time periods (30 minutes, 6 hours, 24 hours, and 36 hours) on the data collected from the Gabal El-Zayt wind power …

Effect Of Two Cut Off Rows On Seepage Underneath Hy-Draulic Structures Using Weak Form Differential Quadra-Ture Element Method: A Theoretical Approach, Esraa Ahmed, El-Masry A. A, Hossam A.A. Abdel Gawad, Ahmed Elhamrawy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Investigating confined seepage underneath hydraulic structures is crucial to ensure the safety of these structures. The Weak Form Quadrature Element Method (WFQEM) is the basis of this paper, which explores the behavior of confined flow. The seepage flow governing equation is solved numerically to estimate the uplift pressure underneath the hydraulic structures and the exit gradient.The Gauss–Lobatto–Legendre (GLL) type is used as nodal and integration points. Several models were solved to validate the applied numerical method. The obtained results are compared with theoretical and preceding numerical solutions mentioned in the literature. The system of equations generated from applying the WFQEM …

Control Of Steel Corrosion Using Natural Corrosion Inhibitor, Rasha A. Nasef, O. Hamed, M. M. El-Halwany, M. H. Mahmoud

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study investigates corrosion control of AISI 430 stainless steel in 1M HCl medium using an eco-friendly inhibitor extracted from pomegranate peel (PPE). The inhibition efficiency was evaluated at different PPE concentrations, with the highest applied concentration of 13g/L. Corrosion behavior was evaluated through weight-loss measurements and potentiodynamic polarization techniques conducted at room temperature.

The experimental results showed that corrosion resistance improved as the inhibitor  concentration increased. Lower corrosion rates were observed in the presence of PPE, along with reduced anodic and cathodic activities, indicating that the extract functions as a mixed-type inhibitor. Surface analysis confirmed the formation of …

Data Collection Algorithm Based On Regression Analysis, Aiming To Minimize Data Processing Delays In 6g-Enabled Iot Networks, Archana Rajendra Mane, Sachin Vasant Chaudhari

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Researchers are currently investigating 6G wireless communication technologies because they can offer ultra-low latency, high data rates, and smarter network management than 5G. IoT services have spurred the development of cutting-edge technologies such as quantum communications, terahertz (THz), and artificial intelligence (AI), all of which are expected to be included into the subsequent generation of 6G networks. This paper presents a regression-based data collection algorithm for 6G-enabled IoT networks that dynamically prioritizes data through Random Forest regression. With a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.62 ms and a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 0.83 ms, the proposed method can …

High Algal Biomass Is Decoupled From Metabolism In The Gallatin River, Cora Mae Steinbach

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Assessing eutrophication in rivers is difficult compared to lakes and coastal waters, because most algal biomass occurs on the riverbed and flows interact and co-vary with production (Biggs and Close, 1989; Bernhardt et al., 2018). Riverine eutrophication is typically assessed using algal biomass and water column nutrients (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000), but biomass is highly variable and labor-intensive to measure, while nutrient concentrations often underestimate enrichment due to rapid biological uptake (Dodds and Smith, 2016). Reach-scale river metabolism can help evaluate long-term functional change in rivers recovering from nutrient enrichment (Arroita et al., 2019; Jankowski et al., 2021; Diamond …

Bio-Orthogonal Chemistry-Based Strategy To Turn-On And Turn-Off Crispr-Cas9 Gene Editing In Solution And In Live Cells, Bhoomika Pandit

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The CRISPR–Cas9 system is a widely popular tool for genome engineering. There is a strong interest in developing tools for temporal control of CRISPR-Cas9 activity to address some of the challenges and to broaden the scope of potential applications. In this thesis I describe two biorthogonal based approaches to either Turn-ON and Turn-OFF CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.

In first project work I describe a bio-orthogonal chemistry-based approach to Turn-ON Cas9 nuclease activity with temporal precision. We report a TCO-acylimidazole reagent that acylates 2′-OH groups of RNA. Poly-acylation (“cloaking”) of RNA was optimized in vitro using a model 18-nt oligonucleotide, as well …

Mathematical Analysis Of The Slip Flow Due To A Cylinder Oscillating In Different Directions With Independent Amplitudes, Alana Sankar, Karim Rahaman

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study examines the incompressible viscous fluid flow in an infinitely long cylinder, with slip occurring at the cylinder’s surface, undergoing longitudinal and torsional oscillations of independent amplitudes. The proposed governing equations are solved subject to the Basset slip condition. Analytical expressions for the velocity field, shear stresses, drag force on the cylinder, work done and the drag coefficient are obtained. Velocity components, drag and work done are illustrated graphically. The magnitude of the velocity increases as slip decreases and as the frequency of oscillations increases. Drag increases in both directions as the slip decreases and as the frequency of …

A Multi-Valued Fixed Point Theorem For Quasi-Contractions On A Cone Metric Space, Regina Mahadewsing, Sreedhara Rao Gunakala, Vikash Ramcharitar, Reddappa Bandi, Akhenaton Daaga, Thameem Basha H

Mansoura Engineering Journal

A set-valued (multi-valued)  mapping  assigns to each  a nonempty closed and bounded subset . Using this notion, the present work broadens classical fixed point theory by proving a fixed point theorem for multi-valued quasi-contractive mappings in cone metric spaces. The developed argument extends several earlier results that were restricted to single-valued maps and more familiar set-valued settings, thereby providing a wider analytical framework within ordered Banach-space structures. These contributions enrich fixed point theory in generalized metric environments and can be relevant to problems in nonlinear analysis and optimization

Underwater Image Identification Using Fuzzy Soft Planar Graph, Bhuvaneswari Natarajan Jayakar, Karthick Palanisamy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

High-attribute underwater image segmentation is fundamental to autonomous marine exploration, biodiversity monitoring, and subsea infrastructure inspection. However, underwater environments are inherently stochastic, exhibiting severe light attenuation, chromatic distortion, scattering effects, and noise, all of which significantly degrade image quality and challenge conventional computer vision techniques. Hence, Fuzzy logic which handles uncertainty and imprecision in data and Soft sets which manage parameterized information, are widely applied to underwater image analysis. Fuzzy Soft Planar Graphs (FSPGs) constitute a mathematical framework that integrates fuzzy set theory, soft set theory and planar graph structures for preserving spatial topology. The proposed methodology adopts a hybrid …

Performance Of Foamed Concrete Before And After Fire Conditions: A Review, Poles Bahgat, Mohamed Kohail, A. Fathy, A. Afifi

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Foamed concrete is defined as a type of concrete distinguished by its workability, low density, and insulating properties. It is used as building material. The objective of this review is to discuss the physical and mechanical characteristics and fire sensitivity of foamed concrete. Density influences the strength of concrete. The strength of concrete is between 2 and 3.5 MPa, which increased with the addition of gold mining waste, reaching approximately 35 MPa at optimal replacement levels.  There is a 60-70% reduction in strength for lightweight concrete with a density of 400-1200 kg/m³ compared to conventional concrete. The fire sensitivity of …

The Sub-Lethal Effects Of Trematode Parasites On The Migratory Behavior Of Lesser Scaup (Aythya Affinis), Scott Alan Herman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The introduction of the invasive freshwater faucet snail (Bithynia tentaculata) and its associated parasites in the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region provides the opportunity to investigate how anthropogenic stressors impact the life history of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) using the Mississippi Flyway. To understand the life histories and interactions between lesser scaup and faucet snails we examined historical records, research, and ecology textbooks. Our literature review identified critical knowledge gaps in lesser scaup literature surrounding population dynamics, reproduction, and migration. Specifically, the sub-lethal effects of invasive trematodes on the migratory behavior of lesser scaup in the Upper Mississippi …

Climate Change Effects On Biomass And Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Ameliorated By Nontoxic Endophytes In Southeastern Usa Transition Zone Tall Fescue Pastures, Rebecca Kay Mcgrail, Jonathan D. Moore, A. Elizabeth Carlisle, Jim A. Nelson, Rebecca L. Mcculley

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: The plant–microbe interaction between tall fescue and its endophyte Epichloë coenophiala can affect ecosystem responses to changing rainfall patterns and increasing temperatures. Endophyte-infected (E+) stands often exhibit improved stress tolerance and differing soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to endophyte-free (E−) stands. However, it is unknown if mammalian nontoxic endophyte (NTE) strains introduced into some tall fescue cultivars confer differing stress tolerances or reduce soil GHG emissions.

Methods: We quantified the impact of fescue-NTE symbioses in Jesup and Texoma on biomass and GHG emissions in response to increased temperature (+3°C) and altered precipitation (50% lengthened interval between events) using …

A Global Synthesis Of Fragipan Silicon Concentrations And Relationships With Soil Physicochemical Properties As A Function Of Soil Parent Materials, Christopher Shepard

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Fragipans are dense, brittle subsurface horizons that restrict root growth and limit water-holding capacity. A common factor in these soils is a binding agent, potentially either phyllosilicate clay bridging, amorphous aluminosilicate/silica, or silica sorbed to Fe oxides. Others have suggested that no binding agent is present within these soil horizons and that the arrangement of individual particles is solely responsible for these horizons. In this article, a secondary data synthesis was utilized to demonstrate that silicon (Si) accumulation is a key pedogenic process in loess-derived fragipan horizons, but not in all fragipans. The average dithionite-extractable Si (Si_d) content …

Monitoring Long-Term Water Quality Benefits Of Urban Stream Restoration, Kira Burnett

2026 Research Poster Competition

Urbanization without conscious environmental planning can result in the degradation of stream ecosystems. This tends to result in urban stream syndrome, which is often characterized by increased sediment and nutrient concentrations, decreased biodiversity, more frequent flash flooding, and overall water quality degradation. As such, stream restoration practices are often implemented to address urban stream syndrome. Commonly used restoration practices include applying natural channel design to stabilize eroding stream banks and establishing diverse streamside vegetation to filter pollutant inputs. However, the benefits of restoration are not often quantified due to a lack of post-restoration monitoring, making it challenging to determine what …

Developing Bioassays For Detection Of Residual Herbicides In Compost, Esther Moore

2026 Research Poster Competition

Developing Bioassays for Detection of Residual Herbicides in Compost, the use of synthetic herbicides has dominated the field of agricultural production for over a century. While synthetic herbicide use has resulted in an undeniable boost in agricultural productivity, risks such as environmental degradation and reduced yield of non-target plant species must be considered. Key among these risks is compost contamination, especially from persistent herbicides. After these herbicides are applied, they are absorbed by growing vegetation, consumed by herbivores, passed through the digestive tract, and reintroduced into soil manure based compost. Even after this process, chemicals in such herbicides can remain …

Environmental Monitoring In Shallow Lakes: Public Health Threats In Urban Waters, Kyleigh E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Lakes are an integral part of urban and suburban communities, providing ecological, recreational, and public health benefits. Many of these lakes are located in densely populated areas and are subject to urban influences on water quality. Algal toxins and Escherichia coli are two common recreational concerns. Algal toxins come from harmful algal blooms that are influenced by nutrient availability and temperature, while bacteria are often introduced through run-off and animal waste. Sampling every 3-4 weeks from May-October 2025 allowed for the assessment of seasonal patterns and site-specific differences across nine lakes in the Richmond area. The highest bacterial concentrations appeared …

Absolute Quantification And Identification Of Rna From Rna-Lipid Nanoparticles Using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, Jason C. Funderburk

Theses and Dissertations

RNA therapeutics are a rising drug category with potential use for a range of conditions encompassing infectious diseases to therapies for cancer, diseases, and genetic disorders. RNA-lipid nanoparticles (RNA-LNPs) are the prominent delivery method for these therapeutics approved products include mRNA vaccines and polyneuropathy treatments. The emergency use authorizations and orphan drug status of current RNA-LNP drugs has allowed approval without finalization of the regulatory analytical procedures for quality monitoring. The objective of the study was to develop an LC-MS assay to simultaneously measure identity and concentration of two therapeutically relevant intact RNA constructs extracted from RNA-LNPs to enhance quality …

Machine Learning-Based Spatio-Temporal Modeling Of Climate Dynamics And Desertification In The Sahara–Sahel Region, Stephen M. Tivenan

Theses and Dissertations

Arid climate classifications are threshold-dependent and easily interpretable mappings that are widely used in ecological, agricultural, and climate-related studies. These classifications inform scientific understanding, support policy and land management decisions, and provide an intuitive summary of environmental conditions. Despite their usefulness, traditional arid climate classifications often fail to quantify uncertainty, incorporate spatial context, or account for complex relationships among relevant environmental variables. Existing approaches to uncertainty assessment have largely relied on comparing classifications across multiple datasets or alternative formulas, but these methods generally overlook important spatial dependence and latent structure in the data.

This dissertation develops three machine learning-based statistical …

Evaluating Willow Establishment With Biochar For Remediation Of Mine Waste Soils: Amendment Ph Determines Plant Biomass And Metal Mobility, Madeline R. Webb

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Heavy metal contaminated mine tailings (“stamp sands”) from historic copper mining inhibit plant establishment and contribute to ongoing metal contamination. Biochar amendments may enhance plant growth and reduce metal mobility in highly permeable mine waste soils, but the efficacies of different application methods or biochar sources and composition are uncertain. We evaluated different biochar sources (neutral or alkaline pH) and application methods (either mixed or layered) for planted willow growth, moisture retention, and metal mobility. A 10-week growth chamber experiment assessed plant performance, heavy metal content and heavy metal mobility in soil leachates and plant tissues. Biochar pH was the …

The Role Of Resistance Training In Managing Menopause-Related Changes, Alyson K. Strauss

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Resistance training serves as a critical non-pharmacological strategy for mitigating the physiological and psychological declines associated with the menopausal transition. This natural biological phase, marked by declining estrogen levels, typically leads to accelerated bone mineral density loss, sarcopenia, metabolic regulation disturbance, and heightened mood disturbances. To evaluate the efficacy of targeted exercise interventions, a systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. From an initial pool of 60 relevant articles, 13 studies met the specific inclusion criteria, focusing on structured resistance training protocols for perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal cohorts.

The synthesis of these studies indicates that resistance training is a highly …

Evaluating The Role Of Power Electronics In Enhancing Renewable Energy And Smart Grid Performance: A Review, Muhammad Irfan Habib

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The review article demonstrates the importance of power electronics in propelling the increase of renewables and increasing the efficiency of contemporary electrical grids. In particular, it highlights the need for bidirectional converters for effective energy management in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems with two-way power transfer. The paper examines the series of complications offered by the significantly large integration of power electronic converter-interfaced renewables, such as those related to system steadiness, power quality, and resignation bottlenecks. Also, it recognizes a mix of new technologies, such as wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), that deliver superior performance …

Artificial Neural Network Based Protection For Dc Bus Using Solid State Dc Breaker, Eswaraiah Giddalur, Askani Jaya Laxmi

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Low voltage Direct Current (LVDC) microgrids have been extensively used as a hopeful technology with high access to distributed energy resources (DERs) and DC loads, due to the absence of multiple conversions. A high amplitude Fault current together with the vulnerability of electronic devices, poses a great challenge to the line protection in LVDC microgrids. Electromechanical switches are slow and take long tripping time to clear the short circuit fault. Power electronic circuit breakers are used to achieve fast fault interruption recent progress in areas like machine learning and natural language processing have affected nearly every assiduity and area of …

Extraction And Characterization Of Fresh And Dehydrated Cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) Polysaccharide For Hydrogel Preparation, Aye Thwe Thwesoe, May Myat Khine

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this research, extraction of polysaccharide compounds from Cactus (Opuntia Ficus Indica) leaves in both fresh and dehydrated condition by solvent precipitation method using three types of water, acid (HCL) and NaOH. Before extraction, the physicochemical properties were examined to determine optimum yield (%) of extracted polysaccharide by optimization of Box-Behnken Design (BBD) of response surface methodology (RSM). The polysaccharide-based acrylamide hydrogel was prepared by free radical polymerization. The functional and structural characterization was done by FTIR, XRD and SEM for examination of extracted polysaccharide as raw polymer backbone in hydrogel preparation and prepared hydrogel as adsorbent for metal removal. …

Unlocking Green Potential In Indonesian Small Medium Enterprises: Challenges And Opportunities For Sustainable Vermicelli Production, Togar W. S. Panjaitan, Karina Agustin, Prayonne Adi, Jani Rahardjo, I Nyoman Sutapa

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Due to limited initiatives and support, the transition to green manufacturing among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries remains challenging. Through a critical literature review and case study of the Indonesian vermicelli industry, this study highlights the importance of collaboration and strong policies to address this. Other findings also reveal that the energy intensity and emissions in the sector exceed best practice benchmarks, with the cooking and drying stages contributing significantly to emissions due to high energy consumption. Lack of government regulations, company awareness, and understanding of applicable practices and technologies creates challenges in green manufacturing. The study …

Hybrid Model For Phishing Website Detection Using Transfer Learning, Atul Dubal, Mansi Subhedar, Santosh Dhamala, Manasi Patil

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The rapid digitization of human activities has intensified reliance on internet-based platforms, creating fertile ground for cybercriminal exploits such as phishing. Despite advancements in detection mechanisms, phishing attacks continue to evolve, leveraging sophisticated visual mimicry to deceive users. This paper proposes a robust vision-based phishing detection system using ensemble deep learning to analyse webpage screenshots. The framework integrates transfer learning with pre-trained VGG16 and DenseNet121 models, extracting complementary low-level texture features (edges, gradients) and high-level hierarchical patterns (logos, layouts). These features are fused through a custom classifier with dropout regularization to mitigate overfitting. A balanced dataset of 3,000 webpage screenshots …

Ai-Assisted Hybrid Ga–Pso Channel Allocation Under 3gpp Tr 38.901 Uma For Efficient 5g Radio Resource Management, Sharada Narsingrao Ohatkar

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The increased traffic and heterogeneity in the 5G/B5G network require efficient radio resource management (RRM). However, the existing methods, such as GA and PSO, have poor convergence speed and require proper initial conditions. Additionally, learning-based methods have high computational complexity. Hence, in this paper, a novel AI-assisted Hybrid Channel Allocation (AI–HCA) framework is proposed by using a support vector regression (SVR)-based predictive initialization method and GA-PSO optimization. Simulation results using the 3GPP UMa channel model show that the proposed method has a 28% reduction in call blocking probability (CBP), a 15-25% enhancement in spectral efficiency (SE), and a 18-25% enhancement …