Digital Commons Network^™

Continuous Monitoring Of Volatile Organic Compounds In Air Emission Using Membrane Extraction Microtrap Gc System, Xin Zhang

Theses

A novel method for continuous monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air at trace level is presented. A membrane module and a microtrap were used along with gas chromatographic analysis. The membrane module consisted of a bundle of silicone rubber hollow fibers and separated the VOCs from the gaseous stream. The microtrap which is a very small adsorbent trap played the roles of preconcentrator and injector. The VOCs selectively permeate across the membrane into a strip gas in the membrane module. Before entering the GC column, the VOCs are trapped and concentrated by the microtrap. Desorption of the VOCs is …

Integration Of Surfactants And Time Release Nutrients With Pneumatic Fracturing Process, Atiqur Md. Rahman

Theses

The objective of this laboratory study was the development of two novel improvements to the pneumatic fracturing process which would extend its present application. The first involved use of surfactant during pneumatic injection, and the second was subsurface injection of "time-release" dry nutrient pellets for enhancement of in situ biodegradation.

Bench scale tests demonstrated that pneumatic fracturing can be successfully performed with air containing a surfactant solution (foam fracturing). The results showed that foam fracturing followed by increased the rate of surrogate contaminant removal from 8% to 10% compared with regular pneumatic fracturing. These increases were attributed to enlarged fracture …

Influences Of Cardiac And Respiratory Parameters On Heart Rate Variability, Melissa Leifer

Theses

Heart rate variability is a result of variation in the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Methods have been developed to determine the level of parasympathetic activity by observing the heart rate variability spectrum. Most of the previously published research uses only level of parasympathetic activity and respiratory rate to draw conclusions about the interactions of the autonomic nervous system with physiological parameters. In order to gain a complete understanding of the autonomic nervous system and the mechanisms responsible for heart rate variability, respiratory volume, cardiac variables and pulmonary variables need to be considered. In addition, amount of …

Facts And Treatment Options For Patients With Endometriosis, Adrienne Reaves

Theses

None provided.

Automatic Visual Inspection Of Placement Of Bare Dies In Multichip Modules, Mahesh Chheda

Theses

Multichip Modules are gaining lot of popularity in today's IC technology, as they are good solutions for high density packaging. This thesis presents a method for checking the placement of bare dies on a common substrate of an MCM. This testing is done using Automatic Visual Inspection (AVI), which is better and more reliable, compared to manual inspection. Comparison is the basis in this thesis to detect faults in an MCM. The MCM to be tested is compared with a known good ideal MCM using image processing techniques. The mismatches, if any, between these two images, i.e. image of an …

Aging Archetypes In Latter Life: Mythic Characterizations Of Six Psychosocial Microstages, Bernadette Carol Randle

Theses

The use of myth to examine and explain the human condition is axiomatic in most cultures and traditions. One reason is myth and folklore frequently provide illuminating metaphors for the universal life themes of human experience. In western culture, literature is one of the more powerful transmitters of attitudes toward aging and psychological issues that confront the aged (e.g., mental and emotional declension, human interaction with the environment., and the impact of the environment on the aging individual). The purpose of this research is to examine popular and classical literature for representative archetypes that correspond to the predictable life stages …

A Study On The Atmospheric Quality And Control In The Emirate Of Abu Dhabi, Sukaina Faisal Al-Wasity

Theses

Limited data are available on air pollution levels in Abu Dhabi Emirate in general. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the level of atmospheric contaminants in the environment of Abu Dhabi Emirate. This includes measurement of suspended particulate matter less than 10 micron (SPM₁₀) in Al Ain City during normal and stormy conditions and measurement of the same air solids besides the gaseous pollutants: ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and methane and non-methane hydrocarbons in Abu Dhabi City and follow up of hourly variation in their concentration. The study further includes collecting sufficient data …

A Study Of The Biofiltration Process Under Shock-Loading Conditions, Helen Androutsopoulou

Theses

Biofiltration is a new technology for treating airstreams contaminated with emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It employs porous particles which are placed in reactors, in packed-bed configurations, after appropriate microorganisms have been immobilized on the solid support.

Biofiltration involves complex processes, and is not yet well understood. In this thesis the response of biofilter units to quantitative and qualitative changes in the inlet airstreams was examined. Steady state data were also analyzed through the use of an existing detailed model.

Experiments were performed with two small-scale biofilters, and with ethanol and butanol as model compounds. Each biofilter was dedicated …

Prevention Of Occupational Exposure Of Tuberculosis To Health Care Workers, Thomas C. Carle

Theses

The resurgence of tuberculosis in the United States within the past decade has prompted the health care community to develop tuberculosis elimination policies. However, recent outbreaks of tuberculosis have proved to be resistant to multiple antibiotics. Tuberculosis infections among health care workers is also rising. This increase in occupational exposures has prompted the examination of current exposure control measures.

The occupational exposure to tuberculosis is prevented by the use of administrative policies, engineering controls and personal protective equipment. Each control measure has inherent strengths and weaknesses and when implemented through an exposure control plan the risk of occupational exposure can …

Solvent Sublation Of Toluene From Aqueous Phase, Mei Chen

Theses

Solvent sublation, a surface chemical technique, was used to remove toluene from aqueous solution into a layer of paraffin oil.

Analytical methods for GC determination of toluene in both gas and aqueous phase were set up. The comparison of solvent sublation and conventional air stripping on toluene removal was carried out. It was found that solvent sublation provides significant improvement over air stripping in removing toluene from water, and reduces toluene emission to the atmosphere. The toluene emissions reduction by solvent sublation are 30%-70% under different conditions. The effects of air flowrates and thickness of organic layer were studied. Increased …

The Application Of Stereolithography To The Creation Of Molecular Models Of Amiloride And Its Analogues, Thomas John Busanic

Theses

Stereolithography, a process by which a computer-guided Ultraviolet (UV) laser is applied onto a liquid monomer resin to form a solid polymer, was used to create solid models of amiloride and two of its analogues. The Cartesian coordinates used as input for the orientation of each atom in a molecule were calculated using ab initio molecular orbital theory. Since the structures of the molecules are calculated in this fashion, they represent a more accurate representation of the molecules than that provided by standard molecular modeling kits.

The original purpose of this work was to assist a blind chemist in appreciating …

Managing Occupational Hazards Confronting Healthcare Workers, Kiran A. Mody

Theses

The primary goal of this thesis is to identify, evaluate, and control occupational hazards that may exist in health care facilities.

Due to the complex nature of health care facilities, healthcare workers are always challenged by an imposing group of occupational hazards. The magnitude and diversity of these hazards, and the constantly changing nature of government regulations make it difficult to guarantee absolute protection and accuracy of the material contained herein. However, awareness of the risks, compliance with basic preventive measures, and adequate interventions are all essential components to consider in protecting healthcare workers.

Therefore, potential health effects of various …

Derivation Of Respiration From Electrocardiogram During Heart Rate Variability Studies, Lingeng Zhao

Theses

A method was developed to derive the respiration signal from the ECG signal based on the observation that the body-surface ECG is influenced by electrode motion relative to the heart and that fluctuations in the mean cardiac electrical axis accompany respiration. S-Plus programs were developed to calculate the changes in the value of the mean cardiac electrical axis during respiration from a two lead ECG signal and to generate a continuous ECG-derived respiratory signal from the angle information.

Data were taken from 9 healthy subjects during rest, paced breathing and exercise. The respiration was derived from the recorded ECG signals. …

An Integrated Approach To Implement Iso 9000 Series Standards To United States Manufacturing Industry, Jatin N. Amin

Theses

Implementation of ISO 9000 series quality system standards to the U.S. manufacturing industry is discussed by developing a generic model for implementation. In recent past, quality became a prime performance issue to formulate strategy to improve market share and profit for U.S. manufacturing industry. Many companies seeks for ISO 9000 registration. Manufacturing industry and other industries as well, are facing numerous problems in implementing ISO 9000 quality system standards. At present, about 400 U.S. companies have gained certification under this standard.

In this work an attempt has been made, to highlight problems which are most likely to be critical to …

Sfumato And Conjunction, Scott Joseph Dohring

Theses

For the studio section of my MFA in painting thesis, I have produced a series of paintings on canvas concerned with non-objective impasto/textured color fields, some include representation in line, abstract overlays/underlays, while some involve division of the canvas into abutting characteristic approaches. The mediums used include water based & oil based paints, textural compounds (gel medium, joint compound, mastic, talc), pencil, and occasionally found objects. In this paper, I shall analyze and discuss impressions, concepts, and meditations relevant to my thesis work in particular and to the issue of reconciliation between formalist and post-modern approaches to theory/criticism in general …

Application Of Nonradioactive Southern Blot Foe Detection Of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Changes On Chromosome 5 Q21, Xuejiao Hu

Theses

None provided.

An Interactive Multimedia Presentation For The Department Of Residence Life Apartment Area, Maura Daly

Theses

As a Complex Director for Residence Life I have had to deal with many questions regarding life in the RIT apartment complexes. As an Editor I recognize the need for clear and easily accessible answers to commonly asked questions. This multimedia presentation should address both these issues. Created was a presentation for students that are interested in renting an apartment on campus. Currently there is nothing available, beyond a pamphlet, to help them make an informed choice about where to live. This presentation will aid the Department of Residence Life in their impact on occupancy because it will state clearly …

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Shannon O'Neil

Theses

None provided.

Design, Graphic Arts, And Environment, Sondra Zalewski

Theses

The environment draws great attention today from many people and businesses. Some companies are beginning to play off these concerns in their marketing approach, while others dodge the topic at all turns. While many people feel we have serious environmental problems, others do not. It is a subject with which everyone is, perhaps, too hasty in their judgment. This thesis project encourages behavioral awareness and provides information from a multitude of sources so that a practical, rather than radical, view may develop. Information surrounding issues about the environment appear in many diverse publications. The sources of information, as well as …

Study Of The Leaching Of Pentachlorophenol From Treated Utility Poles, Jingyi Zhang

Theses

Pentachlorophenol ( PCP ) has been used as a preservative in wood industry over 40 years. If new regulations are passed, the disposal of used treated utility poles in landfills could be restricted because of the toxic properties of PCP. This study was undertaken to provide a better understanding of the rates and mechanisms of leaching of PCP from these poles.

Following the initial analytical method development for PCP determination, a study was done to apply and validate the method in a leaching characteristics study of PCP from Douglas Fir and Southern Pine.

The major factors which influence the leaching …

Design, Construction, And Operation Of Water Treatment Plant Residual Monofills, Haitao Bian

Theses

Due to the stringent environmental regulations, landfilling becomes the most viable option for ultimate disposal of water treatment plant (WTP) residues. At present, most states apply the regulations for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills to the landfilling of WTP residues. This is too stringent since the WTP residues are not hazardous. Therefore, development of suitable criteria for WTP residual monofills is necessary and urgent.

A set of environmental and geotechnical experiments was conducted to characterize WTP residues. It can be concluded that very little leachate will be produced and migration of leachate is unlikely. Also it was noted that insignificant …

Modeling Arsenic Transformation In Clay Soils, Chao-Yi Chung

Theses

This project is designed to estimate the possible transformation forms of arsenic in clay soil. A computer model was established to simulate arsenic transformations. The amount of arsenic species adsorbed, dissolved, and the predominant soluble species are calculated by the model, which is mainly based on the Freundlich adsorption isotherm, solubility data collected by Keaton and Kardos, and pH-Eh diagram established by Ferguson and Garvis. The computer language used is Turbo PASCAL version 5.5.

The clay soil environment is considered to be in standard state: 25°C 1 atm. Environmental factors of the soil system which are accounted for by the …

Graphical Oodb Modeling For Medical Information Standards (Gommis), Jiping Liu

Theses

The graphical representation of database schemata has been a useful tool for the designer and users of database systems. Such a tool for OODB schemata should incorporate a wide variety of symbols which cover most concepts of existing Object-Oriented Database (OODB), so it is sufficient to support a diverse group of object-oriented data models.

In this paper we created a. graphical representation, using the OOdini system and language, of the European Prestandard for Medical Informatics on Message Exchange of Laboratory Information. This European Prestandard describes a standardized format for messages to be exchanged between a. health care provider and a …

Concurrent Engineering And Design For Manufacture In The Medical Device Industry, Martin A. Mathelier

Theses

Concurrent Engineering (CE) is an approach to product development in which engineers work on design and manufacturability at the same time. The ultimate goal of concurrent engineering is to reduce the time-to-market while improving quality. This thesis goes into details about the tools necessary to achieve successful product development in the Medical Device Industry. The novelty of this thesis is not in the tools themselves but rather in the way that they are applied to the medical device industry. The need for the CE approach is of utmost importance because of the vast competition in the medical device industry.

The …

Performance Of National Research And Education Network While Transmitting Healthcare Information Data, Bhavesh Mahendra Shukla

Theses

National Research and Education Network(NREN) is a first step in the process of building a National Information Infrastructure(NII). NII will ultimately lead to Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network(B-ISDN), a network which will support global exchange of voice, data, images and video.

NREN will evolve out of present National Science Foundation Network (NSFNET), also known as Interim NREN. At present NSFNET operates at 45 MBits/sec. By 1996, there are plans to boost the data rate to 155 MBits/sec and to 620 MBits/sec by the turn of century.

In this thesis, present actual NSFNET is simulated using software simulation tool Networkll.5. The …

Intelad : Intelligent Computer Workstation Adjustment Software, David W. Venezia

Theses

Muscular-skeletal disorders are a significant safety concern for professional computer users. Regard for human health, regulatory emphasis, and the inherent cost of the disorders give rise to this point. In an attempt to reduce the risk of injury to computer operators from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, this body of work provides an easy to use tool capable of determining the near optimal workstation orientation for any operator/workstation combination. Using a unique algorithm and compiled anthropometric data, computer software has been specially developed to map individual workstations in the Cartesian coordinate system. This mapping yields a recommended orientation that is compared to …

Development Of A Non-Intrusive Particle Motion Tracking Technique For Granular Flow Experiments, Jerry R. Volcy

Theses

Implementation aspects of monitoring the position and orientation of a one-inch diameter particle in space non-intrusively based on the principle of magnetic induction coupling are discussed. A radio-transmitter embedded within the particle induces voltages in receiver antennae. Position and orientation of the particle are deciphered from these voltages. A previously developed math model that predicts the voltage induced in an antenna given the position and orientation of the transmitter with respect to the antenna as well as the numerical techniques used to obtain the inverse solution of computing position and orientation from a given set of voltages are used.

Practical …

Measurement Of Heart Rate Variability Using Correlation Dimension And Entropy, Su Zhang

Theses

Heart rate variability regulation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. Disorders of the autonomic nervous system may cause the loss of heart rate variability. Two new approaches, correlation dimension and entropy, based on ideas from nonlinear dynamics, have been applied to studying heart rate variability. The correlation dimension measures the extent of correlation between the data points. The entropy measures the amount of information needed to specify the state of a system. The interbeat interval signal (1BI) from eighteen subjects (nine normal controls and nine patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) ) have been analyzed and compared. The results …

Contour Extraction From Hvem Image Of Microvessel Using Active Contour Models, Manping Xiao

Theses

This thesis reports the research results on automatic contour extraction from high voltage electron microscope (HVEM) image of thick cross section montages of small blood vessels. The previous work on this subject, which was based on the conventional edge detection operations combined with edge linking, has proven inadequate to describe the inner structural compartments of microvessels. In this thesis, an active contour model (commonly referred to as "Snakes") has been applied to advance the previous work. Active contour models have proven themselves to be a powerful and flexible paradigm for many problems in image understanding, especially in contour extraction from …

Study On The Remediation Of Organic Soil Contaminated With Polychlorinated Biphenyls Using A Variable Frequency Microwave Furnace, Lili Zou

Theses

The development of new and innovative remediation technologies for soil contaminated with Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) is necessary to fulfill the need of cleanup of contaminated sites. In the past eight years the Laboratory for Microwave treatment as Hazardous Substance Management Research Center has investigated the use of Microwave energy to remediate contaminated soils. A major drawback of using single frequencies of the microwave range is the non-uniformity of the electromagnetic field. In this thesis a Variable Frequency Microwave Furnace (operating between 2.40 and 7.50 GHz) is used to improve the uniformity of the field. A new method is used to …