Digital Commons Network^™

3d Printing Of Earthen Materials: Toward The Carbon-Zero Construction, Shiva Bhusal

Civil Engineering ETDs

In recent years, digital manufacturing techniques in the architecture and construction industry have rapidly gained attention, especially with 3D printing, also called additive manufacturing. The use of cement has been common in modern construction and is now being explored for 3D printing. However, due to cement's contribution to approximately 7 percent of global carbon emissions and its high cost, research on sustainable and greener materials has gained attention. Previous studies on alternative construction have examined the mechanical and rheological properties of soil mixes, but not much attention has been given to printability evaluation, shrinkage, and cracking, which can affect the …

Machine Learning Based Prediction Models For Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cell Optimization, Rahul Jaiswal

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Silicon heterojunction solar cell of Heterojunction with Thin Intrinsic Layer (HIT) structure is a commercially available technology, and its market share will significantly increase by the next decade. With such a significant market share, any minor improvement in the device’s overall efficiency can be beneficial three folds - customer return on investment, industry revenue, and the overall carbon footprint (from manufacturing to recycling/ disposing of the device). Conventionally, device optimization for solar cells has been achieved using a hit & trial approach where multiple experiments are done to evaluate the best process conditions and device parameters. This approach has some …

Vi Energy-Efficient Memristor-Based Neuromorphic Computing Circuits And Systems For Radiation Detection Applications, Jorge Iván Canales Verdial

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Radionuclide spectroscopic sensor data is analyzed with minimal power consumption through the use of neuromorphic computing architectures. Memristor crossbars are harnessed as the computational substrate in this non-conventional computing platform and integrated with CMOS-based neurons to mimic the computational dynamics observed in the mammalian brain’s visual cortex. Functional prototypes using spiking sparse locally competitive approximations are presented. The architectures are evaluated for classification accuracy and energy efficiency. The proposed systems achieve a 90% true positive accuracy with a high-resolution detector and 86% with a low-resolution detector.

Long-Term Human Video Activity Quantification In Collaborative Learning Environments, Venkatesh Jatla

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Research on video activity detection has mainly focused on identifying well-defined human activities in short video segments, often requiring large-parameter systems and extensive training datasets. This dissertation introduces a low-parameter, modular system with rapid inference capabilities, capable of being trained on limited datasets without transfer learning from large-parameter systems. The system accurately detects specific activities and associates them with students in real-life classroom videos. Additionally, an interactive web-based application is developed to visualize human activity maps over long classroom videos.

Long-term video activity detection in classrooms presents challenges, such as multiple simultaneous activities, rapid transitions, long-term occlusions, duration exceeding 15 …

Strength As A Function Of Liquid Water Content In Different Snow Types - Results From Field Experiments Using A Blade Hardness Gauge, Mikael Schlumpf

Civil Engineering ETDs

The rapid weakening of snow layers that locally accumulate infiltrating liquid water is a well-known mechanism for wet slab avalanche formation. To quantify this process and improve the prediction of these destructive avalanches, a blade hardness gauge (BHG, a.k.a thin blade penetrometer) and SLF snow sensor were used to take 349 targeted paired measurements of strength and LWC, respectively, in the snow above 19 artificially wetted capillary barriers. Using a multiple regression analysis, we develop an expression for the blade hardness of manually wetted snow as a function of LWC, crystal form, and blade hardness prior to wetting. To understand …

“Great Excitement”: Violent Incorporations Of The American Southwest, Joseph Hall-Patton

History ETDs

This dissertation studies various incidents of violence throughout the Southwest from 1848-1919, often called “great excitement,” revealing a “Western Civil War of Incorporation.” US incorporation designated whether people would be included or excluded from the American body politic. Violence in the Southwest between the mid-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries exposes deep change fueled by a relentless US drive to swallow and digest its people and resources, profiting handsomely in the process. Each chapter is a case study, culminating in a conclusion that ties them together to gain a greater understanding of American violence. They are the 1858 San Luis Obispo vigilantes, …

Analysis Of Ternary Chloride Salt Corrosion In High Nickel Alloys, Dimitri Madden, Gowtham Mohan

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The United States Department of Energy seeks to improve the efficiency of concentrating solar power technologies by employing thermal energy storage with operating temperatures above 700°C. To meet these goals, the National Solar Thermal Test Facility at Sandia National Laboratories has considered the use of a ternary molten chloride salt for sensible heat storage systems. While favored for low cost, good heat transfer properties, and stability at high temperature, ternary chloride salt also exhibits high corrosive attack. Components of a chloride salt storage system would include piping, valves, tanks, pumps, receivers, and heat exchangers, which would be exposed to high …

Rigorous Analysis Of Markov Processes With Applications To Quantum Information, Samuel Edwin Slezak

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

We present a rigorous analysis of the rapid convergence of techniques based on Markov chains for the simulation of thermal quantum systems. We show that a classical computing algorithm called path integral Monte Carlo is capable of simulating thermal states of transverse field Ising models above a threshold temperature by demonstrating the existence of a rapidly mixing Markov chain. We then turn to quantum computing algorithms and show that an idealized version of quantum Metropolis sampling can efficiently simulate systems that satisfy the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. In a related result, we find a class of stoquastic frustration free Hamiltonians that …

Reducing Agglomeration Of Lab-Synthesized And Functionalized Barium Titanate Nanoparticle Composites, Jessica N. Domrzalski

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Barium titanate (BTO) has been extensively studied for its promise in increasing device performance with its high dielectric constant. With the world moving toward miniaturization, research in nanotechnology is paving a road for the future of electronics, energy storage, and batteries. A challenge in understanding BTO’s potential lies in the particles’ tendency to agglomerate. Nanoparticles behave differently than their bulk counterparts, so understanding size effects is a crucial step in understanding BTO. In this work, BTO nanoparticles are synthesized via a hydrolysis reaction, then functionalized via a ligand exchange reaction to reduce agglomeration. BTO is added to epoxy composites at …

Antimicrobial Activity And Mechanism Of Amyloid Proteins And Synthetic Conjugated Polyelectrolytes, Fahimeh Maghsoodi

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

Although the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is still unknown, it is widely considered that the accumulation of amyloid plaques composed of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide in the brain is linked to neurodegeneration. Co-localization of viral DNA with Aβ plaques, the association of brain infection and AD, and research indicating the protective effect of Aβ against bacteria and fungi in mice and human cells have led to the hypothesis that Aβ expression and deposition may be central to its function as an antimicrobial peptide (AMP). In my thesis research, we seek to elucidate how Aβ functions as an AMP …

Mechanisim Of Plasmon-Driven Photochemical Reactions, Hamed Kookhaee

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Understanding a photocatalytic reaction condition that selectively leads to a desired product on metal surfaces is a longstanding research problem in heterogeneous catalysis. Here, using plasmon enhanced N-demethylation of methylene blue (MB) as model reaction, we show that high degree of product selectivity can be achieved by switching the mechanism from charge transfer to adsorbate electronic excitation and vice versa using surface ligands. In the presence of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) surface ligand on gold nanoparticles, MB is selectively transformed to thionine at 633 nm excitation wavelength that overlaps with the electronic transition of the adsorbate. At resonant excitation …

Additive Manufacturing Of Lightweight Concrete Mixtures, Kourosh Rashidi

Civil Engineering ETDs

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is an innovative technique that is increasing its popularity in many industries including construction. 3D printing is related to the layer wised manufacturing or additive construction of any simple to intricate geometry from a digital file. The construction industry has a high potential for using 3D printing technology. However, one of the critical factors in the adaption of additive manufacturing in the construction industry is achieving a printable concrete mix design. This research aims to design printable mixes of lightweight concrete that could be effectively used in the 3D printing of walls or …

Socially Mediated Self-Presentation, Image-Construction, And Twitter: A Multimodal Analysis Of Vice Presidents Across A Continental Divide, Nana Kwame Osei Fordjour

Communication ETDs

Struck by the paucity of studies on vice presidential rhetoric, the omnipresence of social media, and its centrality in politics, I analyzed the tweets of the vice president of the US, Kamala Harris, and the vice president of Ghana, Dr. Bawumia, after their respective elections in 2020. Taking a multimodal rhetorical analysis guided by a theoretical self-presentational framework centered around gender, personalization, and authenticity. I contribute to the broader discourse of how politicians communicate on social media to construct their public image. Taking a cue from the rhetorical approaches used by the two vice presidents, I argue that vice-presidential communication …

Material Reliability For A Molten Chloride Salt System, Aaron A.H. Overacker

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Energy efficiency and cost reduction can both be improved upon using overall higher temperatures for the working fluid. This interest is shared in both nuclear energy as well as concentrated solar power. To achieve higher temperatures would require industry to change working fluids. The United States Department of Energy set out a goal of operating concentrated solar to above 700℃. This would help reduce the cost by having more efficiency in the thermal energy storage, while not a concern for nuclear, these high temperatures can reduce the safety risk and pressure use with the implementation of molten salts. The National …

Incentives To Learn: A Location-Based Federated Learning Model, Ryan Kilpatrick-Morrison Brown

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Federated Learning (FL) effectiveness depends, among others, on the quality and quantity of the training data and process realized at the end computing nodes. In this paper, we introduce a novel location-based federated learning model, enabled by a low-cost and fast deployable Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) - based approach that allows to accurately determine the distributed computing nodes’ positions. Furthermore, in order to train a global model to support different types of smart city applications, while considering two types of servers, offering a prime and common service, respectively, under different costs, the proposed location-based FL model is complemented by an …

Modeling And Characterization Of Cmos Logic Gates Under Large Signal Rf Injection, Zahra Abedi

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

This research addresses the issue of electromagnetic interference (EMI) in digital electronics, which can cause undesired behavior in active electronic components and systems. As technology advances and transistor size decreases, devices become more susceptible to EMI. In addition, as voltage is scaled down to save energy, silicon chips become more susceptible to soft errors. While there are several ways to mitigate the impact of severe EMI on digital systems, minimal electromagnetic coupling can still cause significant problems. We develop analytical models to predict device upset due to EMI. The study focuses on identifying vulnerable parameters of operation related to device …

Energy-Efficient Operation And Performance Optimization In Computing Systems, Nafis Irtija

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

In the modern world, an expansive range of computing systems are being used, and in all of these systems, energy efficiency and performance optimization are of utmost significance. But performance optimization means different things for different computing systems. Because of their difference in nature, computing systems have different requirements for efficiency and optimization. Distributed systems such as smart-grid systems, edge-computing environments, and blockchain systems focus on the behavior of the agents. Thus, the application of network economics principles, such as Game Theory and Contract Theory, can improve the operation of these systems in a multitude of ways. On the other …

20230512_Pharmacy Student Uses Hslic’S 3d Printer For Prize-Winning Poster Project, Jonathan Seyfried

HSLIC Blog Post

No abstract provided.

Theory, Simulation, And Experiments On A Magnetically Insulated Transmission Line Terminated By A Bremsstrahlung Diode, Troy Clay Powell

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Foundational concepts necessary for power flow analysis of a self-magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) are introduced in theoretical form and several developments to the theory are described. These include cold-cathode electron emission physics, self-magnetic insulation physics, self-limited MITL current, and relativistic secondary ion production from anode surfaces. Modeling these physics is performed using EMPIRE, an electromagnetic particle-in-cell code.

Self-limited MITL current theory described numerically by Pointon is developed here in analytic form and is then used to drive simulations to compare to experiments that were performed in EMPIRE. Carefully calibrated current sensors from HERMES-III experiments show good agreement with EMPIRE …

Telehealth Monitoring For Non-Hospitalized Covid-19 Positive Patients In A Rural Setting, Rebekah Leann French

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Purpose

This quality improvement project evaluates the efficacy of an outpatient COVID-19 telehealth monitoring program intended to increase access to care, decrease emergency room/urgent care visits, and hospital admissions among telehealth observed adult patients in a rural area while providing safe home monitoring during acute illness.

Rationale/Background

Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems within the United States encountered several challenges including healthcare inequality and decreased healthcare access, particularly in rural communities. These gaps became more apparent when a novel COVID-19 pandemic emerged straining healthcare systems in the United States and throughout the world. Challenges ranged from overwhelmed emergency room (ER) …

Key Takeaways For Knowledge Expansion Of Early-Career Scientists Conducting Transdisciplinary Research In Energetics And Cancer (Trec): A Report From The Trec Training Workshop 2022, Che-Pei Kung, Meghan B. Skiba, Erika J. Crosby, Jessica Gorzelitz, Mary A. Kennedy, Bethany A. Kerr, Yun Rose Li, Sarah Nash, Melanie Potiaumpai, Amber S. Kleckner, Dara L. James, Michael F. Coleman, Ciaran M. Fairman, Gloria C. Galván, David O. Garcia, Max J. Gordon, Mathilde His, Lyndsey M. Hornbuckle, So-Youn Kim, Tae-Hyung Kim, Amanika Kumar, Mélanie Mahé, Karen K. Mcdonnell, Jade Moore, Sangphil Oh, Xinghui Sun, Melinda L. Irwin

Pathology Research and Scholarship

The overall goal of the annual Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Training Workshop is to provide transdisciplinary training for scientists in energetics and cancer and clinical care. The 2022 Workshop included 27 early-to-mid career investigators (trainees) pursuing diverse TREC research areas in basic, clinical, and population sciences. The 2022 trainees participated in a gallery walk, an interactive qualitative program evaluation method, to summarize key takeaways related to program objectives. Writing groups were formed and collaborated on this summary of the 5 key takeaways from the TREC Workshop. The 2022 TREC Workshop provided a targeted and unique networking opportunity …

La Acequia De La Cuchilla: The Ditch That Runs Uphill, José A. Rivera Ph.D, Thomas F. Glick Ph.D

Faculty Publications

The Río Hondo Valley in Taos County of New Mexico is known for its picturesque setting and the stunning valley floor stretching from Valdez on the eastern edge downstream to Arroyo Hondo just before the Río Grande gorge on its western boundary. Above the valley is a plain known as Des Montes. Each of these communities was settled in the nineteenth century coincident with the building of acequias to sustain village agriculture, the only economy of the time. One of the irrigation systems, La Acequia de la Cuchilla, often is said to be “the ditch that runs uphill.” From …

Neutrosophic Hybrid Mcdm Framework To Evaluate The Risks Of Excavation System, Ahmed Abdel-Monem, Ahmed Abdelhafeez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Rho –Ideal With Complete Neutrosophic Rho– Ideal In Rho–Algebras, Arkan Ajil Atshan, Shuker Mahmood Khalil

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

On Neutrosophic Homeomorphisms Via Neutrosophic Functions, P. Basker, Broumi Said

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A Novel Approach Towards Parameter Reduction Based On Bipolar Hypersoft Set And Its Application To Decision-Making, Sagvan Y. Musa, Baravan A. Asaad

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

The Quantum Computational Utility Of Symmetry-Protected Topological Order: From Near-Term Advantages To Universal Measurement-Based Quantum Computing, Austin Kevin Daniel

Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Quantum computers offer new avenues to approach difficult problems by taking advantage of the strange and often nonintuitive phenomena present in quantum physics. Though many quantum algorithms are believed or known to outperform the best known classical algorithms, the fundamental mechanism granting them their power remains elusive. In measurement-based quantum computation (MBQC), two key resources have been show to enable universal and provably nonclassical quantum computations, respectively. These are symmetry-protected topological order (SPTO), a notion describing a class of quantum magnets with hidden long-range correlations in their entanglement structure, and quantum contextuality, the fact that a quantum measurement outcome inherently …

A Neutrosophic Evaluation Method Of Engineering Certification Teaching Effect Based On Improved Entropy Optimization Model And Its Application In Student Clustering, Jingyuan Li, Fangwei Zhang, Y Jun, Yuanhong Liu, Jianbiao Hu

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Teaching-Learning Efficiency Using Attribute Based Double Bounded Rough Neutrosophic Set Driven Random Forests, B Praba, Balambal Suryanarayanan, D. Nagarajan, Said Broumi

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Generalized Owa Operator Of Orthopair Neutrosophic Numbers And Their Application In Multiple Attribute Decision-Making Problems, Jiancheng Chen, Jun Ye, Angyan Tu

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.