Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling Explosive Lensing On A Cylindrical Body In Air: A First Step Towards Sealing An Underwater Offshore Oil Spill, Phillip R. Mulligan

Doctoral Dissertations

"In 2010, the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon accident leaked oil into the Gulf of Mexico for 87 days. A fast response method that can seal an oil pipe and stop the release of oil is needed in order to prevent future oil leaks from turning into ecological and financial disasters. Explosives can serve this need.

This research examined how a circular implosive discontinuous explosive lens interacts with a cylindrical surface. The following research was designed to study the applicability of the Method this author developed to predict the peak pressure from multiple shockwaves converging on a centrally located cylinder. …

Interrogating Power And Disrupting The Discourse About Onslow And The Gas Hubs, Kayt Davies, Karma Barndon

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

When government statements talk about a secret deal with a multinational consortium that will see more than A$250 million spent on a town with a population of around 1000 people, questions need to be asked. Basic maths equates the spend to around $250,000 a person and yet many people in the town are unhappy about the whole deal. 'Tracking Onslow' was a collaboration between a university and a local government that used journalism as a methodology to document and interrogate the interaction between Chevron, the state and local governments and the Onslow community over a three-year period. This article focuses …

Advancing Microalgae Culturing Via Bubble Dynamics, Mass Transfer, And Dynamic Growth Investigations, Aastha Ojha

Doctoral Dissertations

"The major hindrances to large scale cultivation of microalgae are the problems associated with the design, operation, and scale-up of airlift photobioreactors (PBRs), due to a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the gas-liquid interaction process in real microalgae cultures. Thus, the overall objective of this work is to advance the fundamental understanding of microalgae culturing via gas holdup, bubble dynamics, mass transfer, and dynamic growth investigations.

First, a four-point optical fiber probe technique was employed to study the local gas holdup, and bubble dynamics properties such as bubble passage frequency, chord length and bubble velocity distribution, and interfacial area …

Development Of Implants Composed Of Bioactive Materials For Bone Repair, Wei Xiao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The purpose of this Ph.D. research was to address the clinical need for synthetic bioactive materials to heal defects in non-loaded and loaded bone. Hollow hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres created in a previous study were evaluated as a carrier for controlled release of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) in bone regeneration. New bone formation in rat calvarial defects implanted with BMP2-loaded microspheres (43%) was significantly higher than microspheres without BMP2 (17%) at 6 weeks postimplantation. Then hollow HA microspheres with a carbonate-substituted composition were prepared to improve their resorption rate. Hollow HA microspheres with ~12 wt. % of carbonate showed significantly higher …

Developing And Evaluating Complex Interventions: Enhancing The Role Of Qualitative Research, Lisa Whitehead, Marie Crowe, Carol Bugge, Kirsten Coppell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The use of qualitative research methods alongside randomized controlled trials of health-care interventions have the potential to contribute to the development and evaluation of both complex and other health interventions. Qualitative evaluations of interventions are rarely reported but can provide insight into the intervention process, and the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, to improve and adapt interventions.

Nanostructured Materials Prepared By Atomic Layer Deposition For Catalysis And Lithium-Ion Battery Applications, Rajankumar Patel

Doctoral Dissertations

"Atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) has emerged as an important technique for depositing thin films in both scientific research and industrial applications. In this dissertation, ALD/MLD was used to create novel nanostructures for two different applications, catalysis and lithium-ion batteries.

MLD was used to prepare ultra-thin dense hybrid organic/inorganic polymer films. Oxidizing the hybrid films removed the organic components and produced the desired nanoporous films. Both porous alumina and titania films can be prepared by such a way. A novel nanostructured catalyst (Pt/SiO₂) with an ultra-thin porous alumina shell obtained from the thermal decomposition of an aluminium alkoxide film …

An Automated Approach For Digital Forensic Analysis Of Heterogeneous Big Data, Hussam Mohammed, Nathan Clarke, Fudong Li

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The major challenges with big data examination and analysis are volume, complex interdependence across content, and heterogeneity. The examination and analysis phases are considered essential to a digital forensics process. However, traditional techniques for the forensic investigation use one or more forensic tools to examine and analyse each resource. In addition, when multiple resources are included in one case, there is an inability to cross-correlate findings which often leads to inefficiencies in processing and identifying evidence. Furthermore, most current forensics tools cannot cope with large volumes of data. This paper develops a novel framework for digital forensic analysis of heterogeneous …

A Case-Control Study In An Orcadian Population Investigating The Rrelationship Between Human Plasma N-Glycans And Metabolic Syndrome, Fiona Mclachlan, Maria Timofeeva, Mairead Bermingham, Sarah Wild, Igor Rudan, Gordon Lauc, Wei Wang, Harry Campbell, James Wilson, Evropi Theodoratou

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background:

Alterations in glycosylation patterns have long been known to reflect changes in cell metabolism. In this study, we investigated the relationship between human N-glycan profiles and metabolic syndrome.

Method:

Between 2005 and 2011, 2,155 individuals from the Orkney Islands (UK) were recruited and biological material, alongside phenotypic measures were collected. Individual N-glycan profiles were measured in plasma using weak anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography and calibrated hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. Pre-specified criteria were used to identify 564 cases with metabolic syndrome and 1475 controls. We applied logistic regression to test for association between this binary outcome against measured …

Journalism Capstone Units Based On Agreed Principles And Standards, Trevor A. Cullen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The concept of capstone units is gaining currency within the Australian Higher Education system, with a growing focus on enhancing graduate employability and assuring graduate outcomes. The aim of this paper is to report on an 18-month study of undergraduate journalism capstone units in Australian universities. Just over half of the universities in Australia that teach journalism (16 out of 30), embed capstone units in their programmes, and the study, which began in September 2015, is part of part of an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellowship. It is divided into three stages. The first stage involved face-to-face interviews with journalism …

The Many Transformations Of Albert Facey, Ffion M. Murphy, Richard Nile

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In the last months of his life, 86-year-old Albert Facey became a best-selling author and revered cultural figure following the publication of his autobiography, A Fortunate Life. Released on Anzac Day 1981, it was praised for its “plain, unembellished, utterly sincere and un-self-pitying account of the privations of childhood and youth [...].

Using Technology, Bioinformatics And Health Informatics Approaches To Improve Learning Experiences In Optometry Education, Research And Practice, Vivek K. Gupta, Veer B. Gupta

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Rapid advances in ocular diagnostic approaches and emerging links of pathological changes in the eye with systemic disorders have widened the scope of optometry as the front line of eye health care. Expanding professional requirements stipulate that optometry students get a meticulous training in relevant information and communication technologies (ICT) and various bioinformatics and health informatics software to meet current and future challenges. Greater incorporation of ICT approaches in optometry education can facilitate increased student engagement in shared learning experiences and improve collaborative learning. This, in turn, will enable students to participate in and prepare for the complex real-world situations. …

Designing Journalism Capstone Units That Demonstrate Student Skills, Trevor Cullen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

There are considerable differences in the structure, content, and delivery of tertiary journalism degrees in Australia as identified in a 2014 Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Innovation and Development Project report on graduate qualities and journalism curriculum renewal. To address this situation, the author argues for journalism capstone units, designed by both journalism educators and news editors, to include a series of agreed criteria and standards to guide journalism educators, and for journalism students to demonstrate not only a broad knowledge base together with research and communication skills but also entrepreneurial skills to help them adapt to new media …

Data Journalism Classes In Australian Universities: Educators Describe Progress To Date, Kayt Davies, Trevor Cullen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This article examines the extent to which data journalism (DJ) is being taught in Australian universities. It presents the results of interviews with 35 journalism academics about how they are incorporating data journalism into their courses. It includes details about the types of data journalism skills they are teaching, the resources they are using and the hindrances that have met or are making it difficult to teach data journalism. These hindrances include low and varied levels of quantitative literacy and math aversion among students, lack of time for upskilling and limited room in their courses for new material. The study …

Single Particle-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Technology Development For Metallic Nanoparticle Characterization In Complex Matrices, Yongbo Dan

Doctoral Dissertations

"As the rapid growing of nanotechnology, the release of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) into the environment is inevitable. After entering the real environment, ENPs tend to react with different components of the ecosystem (e.g. water, soil, air, plants) and make their characterization difficult. Analyzing ENPs in these complex matrices still remains as a grand challenge. ENPs characterization is normally the first step of risk assessment. Current analytical techniques have shown some limitations in revealing the unique characteristics of ENPs in complex matrices and reliable analytical techniques are in urgent need. Single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS) is an emerging …

Towards A Participatory Netnography: Collaborating With Children In Virtual Worlds Research, Ashley Donkin, Donell Holloway, Lelia Green

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The new sociology of childhood has encouraged social researchers to incorporate children in as much of the research process as possible. However, whilst some success has been achieved within traditional ethnographic studies, netnography has been slow to make this a reality. This article discusses the previous online research into children’s virtual worlds, which has rarely incorporated young children into the data collection or research analysis processes. The opportunity for researchers to use participatory approaches to collaborating with their child participants and collecting online data is limited due to ethical constraints. The ethical challenges of conducting netnography are compounded by a …

Headline Grabs For Music: The Development Of An Ipad Score Generator, Cat Hope, Stuart James, Aaron Wyatt

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper-demonstration provides an overview of an generative music score adapted for the iPad by the Decibel new music ensemble. The original score `Loaded (NSFW)’ (2015) is by Western Australian composer Laura Jane Lowther, and is scored for ensemble and electronics, commissioned for a performance in April 2015 at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts. It engages and develops the Decibel Score Player application, a score reader and generator for the iPad as a tool for displaying an interactive score that requires performers to react to news headlines through musical means. The paper will introduce the concept for the player, …

Bioactivity/Cytotoxicity Of Micro-/Nano-Materials And Novel Development Of Fiber-Optic Probes For Single Cell Monitoring, Qingbo Yang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Manufactured nano-/micro-materials (MNMs) have been widely used and their interactions with niche biological environment are highly concerned for both of their biohazardous and bioactive effects, whereas no available comprehensive evaluations or regulations have been provided yet. This dissertation thus focuses on three major aspects: 1) fundamental toxicity understandings of a typical MNMs (zinc oxide nanoparticles), 2) bioactivity evaluations of representative bioactive MNMs, and 3) development of novel micro-probes for high spatial resolution monitoring. Firstly, the NP's concentration, irradiation, hydrodynamic size, and the localized pH, ionic strength, NP zeta-potential as well as dissolved oxygen levels were found correlated with the production …

Nonlinear Model And Qualitative Analysis For Coupled Axial/Torsional Vibrations Of Drill String, Fushen Ren, Baojin Wang, Suli Chen, Zhigang Yao, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A nonlinear dynamics model and qualitative analysis are presented to study the key effective factors for coupled axial/torsional vibrations of a drill string, which is described as a simplified, equivalent, flexible shell under axial rotation. Here, after dimensionless processing, the mathematical models are obtained accounting for the coupling of axial and torsional vibrations using the nonlinear dynamics qualitative method, in which excitation loads and boundary conditions of the drill string are simplified to a rotating, flexible shell. The analysis of dynamics responses is performed by means of the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method, in which the rules that govern the changing of the …

Georgia Southern Magazine, Georgia Southern University

Georgia Southern Magazine

• Continuing the Momentum of Success
• Answering the Call
• Realizing a Dream
• Ride of a Lifetime

Gulf South Summit On Service Learning Program [2016], Gulf South Summit On Service-Learning

Gulf South Summit on Service-Learning (Archived)

N/A

Exact Solutions To The Geodesic Equations Of Linear Dilaton Black Holes, Alan Hameed Hussein Hamo, Izzet Sakalli

Turkish Journal of Physics

In this paper, we analyze the geodesics of the 4-dimensional linear dilaton black hole (LDBH) spacetime, which is an exact solution to the Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory. LDBHs have nonasymptotically flat geometry, and their Hawking radiation is an isothermal process. The geodesics motions of the test particles are studied via the standard Lagrangian method. After obtaining the Euler-Lagrange equations, we show that exact analytical solutions to the radial and angular geodesic equations can be obtained. In particular, it is shown that one of the possible solutions for the radial trajectories can be given in terms of the Weierstrass P-function ($\wp $-function), which …

An Architecture For Qos-Enabled Mobile Video Surveillance Applications In A 4g Epc And M2m Environment, Mohammad Abu-Lebdeh, Fatna Belqasmi, Roch Glitho

All Works

© 2016 IEEE. Mobile video surveillance applications are used widely nowadays. They offer real-time video monitoring for homes, offices, warehouses, airports, and so on with live and pre-recorded on-demand video streaming. Quality of service (QoS) remains a key challenge faced by most of these applications. In this article, we propose an architecture for mobile video surveillance applications with a guaranteed and differentiated QoS support. The architecture relies on the 3GPP 4G evolved packet core (EPC). The main components are the QoS enabler, media server, and machine-to-machine gateway and surveillance application. To demonstrate its feasibility, a proof of concept prototype has …

Effect Of Sparse-Build Internal Structure On Performance Of Fused Deposition Modeling Parts, Shixuan Meng

Masters Theses

"Fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology has been used in additive manufacturing for years and is able to significantly reduce both manufacturing time and cost for production tooling and end-use parts. Autoclave molding is one of the conventional tools used to produce composite parts. In autoclave molding, the soft composite material is positioned on the molding tool, and then subjected to vacuum and elevated temperatures to facilitate the curing of the resin. With additive manufacturing (AM), it is possible to fabricate the molding tool with a sparse internal structure, thereby reducing the fabrication time and cost compared to a solid tool. …

Yik Yak Posts: A Discourse Analysis, Snehal Ravindra Shirke

Masters Theses

"Anonymity and geolocation create a unique environment for users to communicate with each other. Discourse analysis was conducted to study the posts made on Yik Yak, an anonymous social networking mobile application to understand the communication patterns on an anonymous platform and the posts about taboo topics. The posts were analyzed specifically for patterns on taboo topics and how students interact on the anonymous platform on a particular campus (Missouri S&T campus). Student research assistants coded the collected posts into the pre-defined taboo categories namely sexual activity, non-sexual bodily functions, sexual orientation, mental/emotional health, and "other" taboo topics. I found …

Study On The Applicability Of Relative Permeability Modifiers For Water Shutoff Using Numerical Simulation, Dheiaa Khafief Khashan Alfarge

Masters Theses

"Water production is a challenging problem to be controlled during hydrocarbon-reservoirs production life. Disproportionate Permeability Reduction (DPR) is often used as water shutoff treatment in production wells when other conventional solutions like mechanical isolations are difficult to perform. This study applied numerical simulation methods to diagnose the factors impacting DPR treatment success on macroscopic level and to see when, where and at which conditions DPR treatment can give best results.

This work indicated that the following points should be considered before DPR treatment is executed in any reservoir to get a successful treatment. Firstly, this research explored that DPR performance …

Understanding User Experience In Gaming, Sri Chaitanya Sanaboina

Masters Theses

"This research examines the effect of virtual reality gaming versus desktop based gaming on spatial presence, social presence, and intention to play. It draws on cognitive theory of presence, social presence theory, and theory of reasoned action to generate the research hypotheses and explain the observed phenomenon. A within-subject experimental design (N=53) was used to evaluate the effects of virtual reality versus desktop based gaming. The results suggest that both spatial presence and social presence were significantly enhanced in the virtual reality gaming environment while intention to play was significantly greater in the desktop based gaming environment"--Abstract, page iii.

Assessment Of Online Information Literacy Learning Objects For First Year Community College English Composition, Mara Bordignon, Alana Otis, Adele Georgievski, Jennifer Peters, Gail Strachan, Joy Muller, Rana Tamin

All Works

© 2016 Bordignon, Otis, Georgievski, Peters, Strachan, Muller, and Tamin. Objective - The main objective was to determine whether information literacy (IL) learning objects (LOs) impact student IL competency, specifically in a foundational first year English composition course. The primary research question was: What is the effectiveness of IL LOs compared to face-to-face instruction in terms of students' skill acquisition? Methods - The methods involved testing student IL competency through a multiple-choice test given pre- and post-IL intervention. Effectiveness was measured by assessing whether IL competency improves after exposure to one of two interventions: online IL LOs or face-to-face librarian-led …

An Investigation Of Plugging And Increasing Oil Recovery In Sandstone Porous Media By Micrometer-Size Particle Gel, Haifeng Ding

Masters Theses

"Micrometer-size particle gel (microgel) has been developed and successfully applied to improve conformance in mature reservoirs. However, quite few researches have been published to address on their effect on oil recovery and rock permeability modification.

This work conducted a series of core flooding experiments to investigate the injectivity, plugging efficiency and improving oil recovery potentials of a couple of microgels synthesized in our lab.

First, this work studied the impact of permeability and crosslinker concentration on PAM type microgel treatment. Results shows that microgel treatment would have a less plugging efficiency in lower permeability rocks, which could be caused by …

Sensitivity Analysis Of Geomechanical Parameters In A Two-Way Coupling Reservoir Simulation, Hector Gabriel Donoso

Masters Theses

"Currently reservoir simulators model geomechanical effects such as compaction, subsidence, fault reactivation, breach of the seal integrity, etc. using only the rock compressibility to change the pore volume. However, rock compressibility as a scalar quantity is unfit to represent the true rock mechanics in the reservoir. In order to accurately represent geomechanical effects in a reservoir simulation, a two-way coupling simulation of the stress analyzer and the reservoir simulator was done. Based on the poroelasticity theory during the production or depletion of the reservoir the porosity and permeability changed due to the stress or pore pressure changes.

A sensitivity analysis …

Single Phase Gas Flow Response Of Fractured Horizontal And Vertical Wells To Repeated Production, Divya Kandlakunta

Masters Theses

"Historically, the conventional approach to well production has been to produce continuously, minimizing interruptions to flow insofar as possible. Yet some operators have observed improved well flow rates and ultimate recovery after a significant well shut-in periods. These production increases have not been documented. This study investigates the production impact of cyclic production/shut-in on fractured vertical and horizontal gas well performance.

A numerical reservoir model in Stimplan software was used to model production in fracture stimulated vertical and horizontal gas wells. Reservoir permeability is varied over a range of 0.0001 md to 1 md, and the shut-in period was varied …