Digital Commons Network^™

Studies Of Air Pollutants And Their Impact On Respiratory And Cardiovascular Diseases In The El Paso Del Norte Region With Emphasis On Mobile Emissions, Juan Gustavo Arias Ugarte

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Air pollution may cause different diseases, such as cardiovascular and lung diseases. Traffic is a major source of mobile emissions causing air pollution. Exhaust emissions from mobile sources (Emissions of Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides and Hydrocarbons) and Non-exhaust (Brake and Tire) are complex mixtures of gases and dust, including a large number of ultrafine particles, especially in areas with high traffic density. Recent studies have shown high rates of morbidity and mortality in people exposed to these types of emissions because the fine and ultrafine particles can be transported from the respiratory airways to the organs, thus contributing to increase …

Computational Methods For Prediction And Classification Of G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Khodeza Begum

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest group of membrane receptor proteins in eukaryotes. Due to their significant roles in many physiological processes such as vision, smell, and inflammation, GPCRs are the targets of many prescribed drugs. However, the functional and structural diversity of GPCRs has kept their prediction and classification based on amino acid sequence data as a challenging bioinformatics problem. As existing computational methods to predict and classify GPCRs are focused on mammalian (mostly human) data, the ultimate goal of our project is to establish an ensemble approach and implement a web-based software that can be used reliably …

Characterization Of Electrically Conductive Inks In Simulated Space Environment, Kazi Md Masum Billah

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing numbers of satellite missions necessitate a standalone power supply with self-recovery capabilities in case of failure in the space environment. A self-repairing kit was developed with the capabilities to repair the damaged solar array by dispensing conductive inks. Dispensing of conductive materials using direct writing technology to the space environment not only repairs damaged electronic components but also demonstrates the possibilities of manufacturing in outer space. For earth application, properties of direct writing inks have been evolved. In space application, direct writing inks or conductive inks have some issues such as outgassing, vapor pressure, curing etc.Therefore, having the properties …

Aquí Se Habla Español: Cultural Identity And Language In Post-World War Ii Puerto Rico, Joanna Marie Camacho Escobar

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The following study seeks to understand the process in which language and culture were linked together in order to institutionalize Puerto Rican cultural nationalism. In the decades after 1898, Puerto Ricans went through a U.S.-imposed process of Americanization. What the U.S. originally had in mind was that Puerto Ricans would become American colonial subjects through U.S. control over the curriculum that made English the language of instruction in public schools. With a vague explanation from the U.S. of what Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans meant to the U.S. American nation, Puerto Ricans from various backgrounds debated Americanization practices. However, after …

Utilizing Historical Mosquito Surveillance Data To Investigate The Efficacy Of Municipal Fogging In Controlling Mosquito Population Density, Andrea Betina Carzoli

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Mosquito borne diseases are the cause of many different disease syndromes and deaths in animals, both wild and domesticated, and humans of all ages and ethnicities. Though El Paso, TX is located in an arid region, mosquito populations are still rapidly growing in urban and agricultural communities and so are the mosquito borne illnesses. The most common vectors associated with mosquito borne illnesses in El Paso County are Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex tarsalis, and Aedes aegypti. Vector management is often the primary option to prevent and control outbreaks of mosquito borne illnesses and very often utilize fogging as the primary …

Organic-Inorganic Graphite And Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Based Composites For 3d Printing, Jorge Alfredo Catalan Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This project was multipronged to help fuse together topics of additive manufacturing and two-dimensional (2D) layered materials, and studying the mechanical and electrical properties of the composites produced. The composites are made from the thermoplastic polymer acting as a matrix and the graphite and 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) serving as the filler or reinforcement. Different concentrations of TMD's were added to the matrix to study the effect of composition on the mechanical and electrical properties. To shed insights into the mechanical properties, test coupons were produced as "dog bone" structures for tensile testing using the ASTM D638 type 5 …

The Development Of A Data Acquisition And Control System For Rocket Propulsion Research, Javier Chaparro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The MIRO Center for Space Exploration Technology Research (cSETR) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has developed the Technology Research and Innovation Acceleration Park (tRIAC) in Fabens, Texas. This facility has been established in order to meet new research demands for experimental testing of Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Liquid methane (LCH4) propulsion systems. Within this facility, a vertical test stand capable of measuring up to 3,000lbf will be constructed for main engine testing of the JANUS and DAEDALUS vehicle programs.

In order to meet challenges of precise remote system operation and data acquisition during engine testing, cSETR designed and …

Next Generation Exa-Scale Capable Software For High Fidelity Physics Aware Simulations, Ashesh Kumar Chattopadhyay

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Physics aware simulations, often arising in problems of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and multi-physics areas have demanded the need for computing software that has the capability to resolve the complexities at multiple scales to analyze and visualize the effects of their interactions with the surroundings. Usually the governing dynamics of these phenomenon appear in the form of complex partial differential equations whose numerical solutions impose various constraints on computational complexity, programming time and efficient throughput. In this scenario, the need of computing software that can solve very large problems resolving the physics of these phenomenon at multiple scales is imperative. Despite …

The White Rose Movement: The Rhetorical Situation And Rhetorical Stances Surrounding The Six Anti-Nazi/Anti-War Leaflets, Veronica Ruth Cruz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study focuses on the White Rose Movement's six anti-war/anti-Nazi leaflets the Movement produced and distributed between June 1942 and February 22, 1943 in Munich, Germany. The persuasiveness of the non-violent resistance Movement was analyzed and discussed using a Bitzerean and Booth rhetorical analysis. Though numerous active and passive social protests, such as marches, music, and rallies, have been examined rhetorically in the past, the research surrounding the written form of protest is minor. In direct regards to the White Rose Movement, specifically, the Movement has yet to be examined through a rhetorical lens until now. The Movement and its …

Advances In Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth Of Molybdenum Disulfide For Photodetectors And Flexible Electronics, Carlos Francisco De Anda Orea

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The conversion of light into electrical signals is at the basis of technologies that affect our daily lives. Applications, including video imaging, optical communications, biomedical imaging, security, night-vision, gas sensing and motion detection have reached a high level of maturity due to the development of high-performance materials, large-scale production, and integration technologies. Currently conventional photodetectors made of Silicon (Si) or III-V compounds are about to reach their maximum efficiency, and every time it is harder to get a noticeable improvement in performance of sensors based on these materials, not to mention the complicated fabrication methods to achieve just a few …

Methods For Producing Graphene From Petroleum By-Products, Eva M. Deemer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

N/A

Predicting Individualized Treatment Effects Via Random Forests Of Interaction Trees, Annette Pena Franco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Abstract Not Available

Behavior Of Sandwich Composite Cores Under Extreme Conditions, Carlos Daniel Garcia Perez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The use of composite structures for diverse applications have become of great interest for scientists and engineers thanks to the advantages that they may offer in comparison to conventional materials. In the case of sandwich composite structures, its mechanical properties can be tailored according to the necessities through the correct selection of a core and facesheets. In combination, this "new" material will have superior properties compared to traditional materials such as steel and aluminum. For arctic exploration, a core with low moisture absorption, low density, and resistance to extreme, low temperatures is desirable for this type of application. This Thesis …

Analysis Of Bias-Corrected And Exact Estimators For Binomial Generalized Linear Model Parameters, Hamna Hannan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Typically, small samples have always been a problem for binomial generalized linear models. Though generalized linear models are widely popular in public health, social sciences etc. In small sample scenarios the non-existence of the maximum likelihood (ML) estimators is very common as well as separation occurs in the data. In logistic regression the maximum likelihood estimates are found to have biased away from origin. My work examines the bias-reduced and exact estimators that have been used to estimate the slope parameters and standard errors of the estimated slope parameters as compared to the traditional ML method.

The present work is …

On Demand 3d Printed Hybrid Scaffolds For Tissue Engineering Applications, Ivan D. Hernandez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A composite 3D printed polymer scaffold with inbuilt porosity and filled with a hydrogel can provide an ideal support system for cell growth, proliferation, and vascularization. Therefore, a hybrid system of 3D printed polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold and a hydroxyapatite-based hydrogel was developed for application in the reconstruction of bone defects, which are inherently difficult to repair without any guided therapies. In the present study, a 3D printed gyroid structure of PCL allowed the loading of a higher amount of hydrogel as compared to conventionally used 3D printed mesh structure of the same volume and strut thickness. The hydrogel was composed …

Quantifying The Characteristic Length Of A Combustor For An Ionic Liquid Monopropellant Thruster, Kimberly Marie Hogge

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ionic liquid monopropellants are currently being researched as a promising alternative to hydrazine in propulsion systems. This report presents a flame study that delineates the flame length of the expected decomposition products from an ionic liquid monopropellant. Through these studies, the characteristic length of a combustion chamber will be defined through calculations and empirical correlations. There is limited information on designing a propulsion system for an ionic liquid monopropellant. Therefore, defining the magnitude for an effective characteristic length serves as beneficial in designing a propulsion system for an ionic liquid monopropellant thruster.

Ac Susceptibility And Epr Investigations Of Superspin Dynamics In Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles, Mahesh Koirala

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

We have investigated the superspin dynamics of 5 nm and 10 nm mixed state Mn3O4 nanoparticles utilizing ac-susceptibility and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. The out of phase component of the ac-susceptibility measurements show a magnetic anomaly below (T

Cost-Effective Recovery Of Concentrated Cooling Tower Blowdown Using The Cerro Process, Lindsey Nicole Larson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Concentrate Enhanced Recovery Reverse Osmosis (CERRO) process is a seawater-RO unit that can cost-effectively achieve extremely high recoveries from water high in silica, carbonate and sulfate concentrations. This relatively new technology takes advantage of the induction time of potential foulants to recover more water than what is normally achievable with a conventional desalination system. The scope of the project was to evaluate the efficiency of the CERRO process as a pilot study using cooling tower blowdown which varied in water quality parameters daily. It was found that the CERRO pilot could successfully achieve 85% recovery, and the main limitation …

Gypsum, Calcite, And Dolomite Caprock Fabrics And Geochemistry From The Gypsum Valley Salt Diapir, Paradox Basin, Southwestern Colorado, Kevin Lerer

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Caprocks are found on top of or in a lateral position relative to salt diapirs. The caprocks predominantly comprise sulfate minerals such as anhydrite or gypsum, which presumably accreted during the dissolution of salt from evaporite sediments. In some cases, the sulfate minerals are replaced by carbonate minerals, referred to as "carbonate caprock". Carbonate caprocks associated with salt diapirs are important because they can act as reservoirs or conduits for hydrocarbons, and because they can be easily misidentified as carbonate lithologies belonging to the stratigraphy of the sedimentary sequences adjacent to the diapir, which can jeopardize the accurate interpretation of …

Identification And Characterization Of Tumor-Associated Antigens (Taas) And Anti-Taas Autoantibodies As Biomarkers In Immunodiagnosis Of Human Osteosarcoma By Serological Proteome Analysis (Serpa), Jitian Li

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common highly malignant primary solid bone-tumor. Despite its relatively low incidence rate among overall cancers, it remains one of the most harmful primary malignant tumors in childhood and adolescence. Although some tumor markers like mutant p53 can be potentially used as biomarker to detect OS, its extensive association with the clinical outcome is poorly understood. The establishment of a methodology to identify patient with early stage of OS remains to be investigated. It is now evident that serum autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) could be used as serological cancer biomarkers in types of cancers, which …

Evaluation Of A Gender-Relevant Physical Activity After-School Program, Vianay Lopez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Background: Physical activity rates have decreased in the past 30 years. Physical activity rates decline further among girls as they reach adolescence, yet studies suggest girls are more inclined to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) while among peers. When in close social networks, girls who have more physically active friends report being more active themselves. Several mentor-based programs throughout the United States have increased physical activity among preadolescent girls, indicating that gender-relevant physical activity programs may reverse their declining rates of physical activity.

Purpose: To evaluate if participation in a gender-relevant physical activity after-school program influenced participants' aerobic fitness, …

Design Of A 1 Megawatt Heat Input Direct Power Extraction System For Advanced Topping Cycles, Brian Matthew Lovich

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Power development has become a standard for living; as such more efficient and cleaner methods are desired. One such method is that of the direct power extraction system utilizing Magnetohydrodynamic properties. This paper will discuss the combustor designed and developed for a direct power extraction system at the 1 MW heat input range. A short history of the power systems utilized with a focus on the direct power class will be conducted in the first chapter to give insight into the benefits of using the direct power system. Then a literature review the fundamentals of direct power systems will be …

Black Police Uniforms Implicitly Increase Hostile Perceptions And Behavior, Amber Kristin Lupo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Use of excessive, and sometimes deadly, force by U.S. law enforcement officers is a critical and costly problem. An enclothed cognition framework suggests that clothing, such as a uniform, can implicitly affect cognitive processing and behavior of the wearer (Adam & Galinsky, 2012). Previous research demonstrated that darker clothing implicitly affects judgments and behavior in two ways. First, persons who wear darker clothing are perceived more negatively (Vrig, 1997; Vrig & Akehurst, 1997). Second, actors wearing darker colored clothing demonstrate greater aggressive behavior than actors wearing lighter colored clothing (Frank & Gilovich, 1988; Peña, Hancock, & Merola, 2009). The present …

Structural And Mechanical Characterization Of Nanocrystalline Tungsten And Tungsten-Based Alloy Thin Films For Extreme Environment Applications, Gustavo Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Extreme environments associated with nuclear applications often results in degradation of the physical, mechanical and thermo-mechanical properties of the materials. Tungsten (W) exhibits unique physical and mechanical properties, which makes tungsten a good candidate for nuclear applications; however, intrinsic W exhibits low fracture toughness at all temperatures in addition to a high ductile to brittle transition. In the present work, nanocrystalline W, W-Y and W-Mo alloys were nanoengineered for nuclear applications. Nanocrystalline tungsten coatings with a thickness of ~1 µm were deposited onto Silicon (100) and Sapphire (C-plane) using RF and DC sputtering techniques under various growth conditions. Yttrium content …

A Comparison Of Uvr-Induced Mortality In Bdelloid Rotifers, Maite Martin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increases in UV radiation (UVR) reaching Earth's surface as a result of anthropogenic activities and changing climate patterns are having a variety of effects on ecosystems. Such effects have been observed in aquatic environments, although certain parameters such as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations can modulate the level of exposure. Bdelloid rotifers are aquatic micro-invertebrates that pose a remarkable variety of special abilities to survive adverse conditions, including a resistance to UVR. Previous studies have suggested this resistance may have evolved in response to episodes of desiccation that they experience in their natural habitats. This characteristic may be especially important …

Arak And Other Stories, Fatima Sausan Masoud

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Set in the West Bank, Arak and Other Stories follows the lives of members of the Al-Hakim family. Through the stories, Palestinian-American, Layla Al-Hakim, uncovers long buried family secrets and discovers deep connections to her Palestinian cousins.

Evaluation Of Cryptic Sulfur Cycling In Marine Sediments, Michael Ngari Mathuri

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Despite the importance of marine sediments as a carbon sink and many efforts to integrate microbiological with geochemical and geological data, the understanding of microbial organic carbon mineralization processes in marine sediments remains incomplete. There is growing evidence for the existence of an unrecognized oxidative sulfur cycling (cryptic sulfur cycling) above, within and below of the main sulfate reduction zone. For example, sulfate exists in supposedly sulfate-free methanogenic marine sediments from the Aarhus Bay and Black Sea. This implies that sulfur cycling is an ongoing process in the deep biosphere. Quantification of cryptic sulfur cycling is a major challenge because …

Hardware Development And Testing For Lox/Lch4 Rocket Engine, Pedro Nunez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research (cSETR) has focused its research efforts on developing LOX/LCH4 propulsion systems. As part of the Janus Sub-orbital vehicle program, UTEP is developing a 2000 lbf throttleable rocket engine (Chrome X). The first iteration of this engine design will be geared for further optimization towards a flight engine. Components like electric motors, valves, and sealants have been selected to achieve throttle ability and sealing of the engine. These components play a crucial part on the engine to be able to have a successful firing. As part …

Empathic Experience Design For Cognitive Impairment, Leonardo Orea-Amador

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Empathic Experience Design (EED) is a technique that lets product designers empathize with their product users with the use of empathic experiences. These empathic experiences are activities that let designers become immersed in a simulation of the users' typical environment and conditions and gain powerful insights of the user's product experience. The simulation uses "tools" like earplugs and gloves that can simulate specific conditions such as hearing loss, or lack of sensitivity, for example. Literature shows that this empathic approach enables designers to discover unarticulated customer needs known as user latent needs. Latent needs produce significant benefits in the creation …

The Development Of A Drinking-Specific Compensatory Health Beliefs Scale, Sandra L. Oviedo Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The present study sought to investigate the applicability of the Compensatory Health Belief (CHB) model in relation to drinking by developing and validating the Drinking-Specific Compensatory Health Beliefs (CHBs) Scale in adults between the ages of 18 and 29 living in the United States. In phase 1, a pool of 41 items was administered to 293 undergraduate students. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to construct the Drinking-Specific CHBs Scale, which consists of 13 items that encompass four different factors - physical activity, no consumption of other drugs, amount of alcohol consumed in future, and rest. In phase 2, …