Digital Commons Network^™

Electrocatalytic Performance Of S-Doped Fen4@Mwcnts Nanocomposites, Ronit Lavjibhai Chaudhari

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The thesis titled “Electrocatalytic Performance of S-Doped FeN₄@MWCNTs Nanocomposites” explores the development of sulfur-doped iron-nitrogen-carbon nanotube (S-dopedFeN₄@MWCNTs) nanocomposites as high-performance an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). These reactions are crucial for technologies like fuel cells, metal-air batteries, and water-splitting systems, which are vital for renewable energy and hydrogen production.

The research demonstrates that S-doped FeN₄@MWCNTs show significantly enhanced catalytic activity compared to traditional platinum-based catalysts and undoped FeN₄@MWCNTs. Sulfur doping results in a lower overpotential for both OER and HER. For …

Bio-Based Polyurethane Composites Using Safflower Oil, Silicon & Phosphorus-Based Flame-Retardants, Smit Chaudhary

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Polyurethane (PU) is a versatile polymer that forms when isocyanate compounds react with compounds containing hydroxyl groups, typically polyols. It can exist in various forms, including rigid foams, flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, elastomers and composites, and is known for its durability, flexibility, rigidity and resistance to abrasion, chemicals, and weathering. PU finds extensive applications in industries ranging from construction and automotive to furniture and footwear. When it comes to vegetable oil-based PU composites, derived from renewable resources, offer eco-friendly alternatives in industries seeking sustainable materials. These composites demonstrate promise in applications for enhanced mechanical properties. This work investigates the PU …

Flourine Free, Bio-Based Antismudge Polyurethane Coating With Enhanced Flame-Retardancy, Rutu Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Antismudge coating materials are generally synthesized using petroleum-based polyols and fluorinated compounds, which are harmful to the environment and human health. Thus, researchers are more inclined to develop polyurethane (PU) coating from bio-based polyols and fluorine-free materials. Here, silicone-containing diol was used with soybean oil polyol (SOP) to produce PU coating. The chemical inertness to acid, base, and salt, along with the non-stick properties of silicone, would help achieve the desired properties of the anti-smudge PU coating. Metal (stainless steel) and wood coupons (oak wood) were coated with this synthesized coating material and tested to study chemical resistance along with …

Effect Of Nitrogen And Phosphorus In Rigid Polyurethane Foams Synthesized From Bio Derived Polyol, Jonsi Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Rigid polyurethane foams (PUFs) are widely used as thermal insulators due to their excellent mechanical properties and low thermal conductivity. However, their dependence on petrochemical-derived polyols and inherent flammability poses environmental and safety challenges. This study investigates the synthesis of bio-based rigid PUFs using canola oil polyol (COP), a sustainable alternative to petrochemical polyols. The research explores the incorporation of nitrogen and phosphorus-based reactive flame retardants, including diethyl phosphate (DEP), melamine (MA), and a novel compound (TDHTPP) synthesized from cyanuric chloride, diethyl phosphate, and vanillin, to enhance both flame retardancy and mechanical properties. Preliminary results demonstrate that PUFs containing 15gm …

Study Of The Synergistic Effect Of Two Different Flame Retardants In Soy-Based Polyurethane Foams, Sujal A. Chaudhari

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Polyurethanes (PUs) are defined as synthetic copolymers prepared using polyols and polyisocyanates. They have a wide range of applications in a variety of products, such as furniture, medical equipment, packaging, foams, coatings, elastomers, and adhesives. Out of all these, one of the most significant commercial products is polyurethane foams (PUFs). However, most of the raw materials used for PUFs production originate from non-renewable sources and due to their highly porous nature, these foams are highly flammable. It is considered essential to combine bio-based components to produce polyurethanes with good flame retardancy. Thus, introducing renewable polyol and halogen-free flame retardant are …

Eco-Friendly Polyester Vitrimer: Enhanced Stretchability, Self-Healing, And Reprocessability Through Dynamic Covalent Crosslinks Via Melt-Polycondensation, Saiprasanna Neerukonda

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Dynamic covalent polymer networks offer new possibilities for designing sustainable polyester vitrimers owing to their excellent reprocessability and malleability; however, maintaining the high performance of the adaptable network with amazing healing properties remains a challenge. Therefore, the proposed approach considers the one-pot synthetic strategy to fabricate highly stretchable polyester vitrimer networks via condensation polymerization of different aliphatic diacids which are glutaric acid, pimelic acid, azelaic acid with 1,4-butanediol in the presence of glycerol and dithiodicarboxylic acids as the curing agent and dynamic covalent crosslinkers. The synthesized polyester network with simultaneous disulfide metathesis and carboxylate transesterification exhibited vitrimeric behavior which can …

Identifying Opportunities For Nature-Based Solutions With Geospatialized Life Cycle Assessments And Fine-Scale Socioecological Data, Gabriela Shirkey, Annick Anctil, Ranjeet John, Venkatesh Kolluru, Leah Mungai, Herve Kashongwe, Lauren T. Cooper, Ilke Celik, Joshua B. Fisher, Jiquan Chen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

As we increasingly understand the impact that land management intensification has on local and global climate, the call for nature-based solutions (NbS) in agroecosystems has expanded. Moreover, the pressing need to determine when and where NbS should be used raises challenges to socioecological data integration as we overcome spatiotemporal resolutions. Natural and working lands is an effort promoting NbS, particularly emissions reduction and carbon stock maintenance in forests. To overcome the spatiotemporal limitation, we integrated life cycle assessments (LCA), an ecological carbon stock model, and a land cover land use change model to synthesize rates of global warming potential (GWP) …

Ready, Set, Woes: A Narrative Inquiry Into Special Education Teacher Attrition By Transfer To General Education, Brent G. Collom

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Despite the prevalence of unfilled special education teaching positions nationwide, it is fair to ask whether there is truly a shortage of special education teachers (SETs). While SETs leave education at high rates, they are almost twice as likely to transfer to general education positions. Many former SETs are employed in schools yet outside of special education.

This narrative inquiry examined the stories of 10 former SETs who transferred to general education. This study found that former SETs continue to identify as teaching special education. Former SETs want general education teachers (GETs) and administrators to have training in special education …

Training Machine Learning Algorithms For The Transient Startup Of A Long-Life Modular Microreactor, Ahmad N. Shaheen

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

There is an increasing interest in developing and deploying small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) and micro modular reactors (MMRs). They could be operated with minimal on-site personnel or remotely with a high degree of autonomy. This can be enabled through the use and application of Artificial Intelligence (AL) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms and methods. The objective of the present work is to train machine learning algorithms for remote control mimicking the transient startup of the Very-Small, Long-LIfe, Modular (VSLLIM) microreactor. This walk-away safe microreactor design and a fully integrated transient model have been developed at the University of New …

The Adenine Nucleotide Translocase Family Underlies Cardiac Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Through The Mitochondrial Permeability Pore Independently Of Cyclophilin D, Pooja Patel, Arielys Mendoza, Daniel Ramirez, Dexter Robichaux, Jeffery D Molkentin, Jason Karch

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) is implicated in cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. During I/R, elevated mitochondrial Ca2+ triggers mPTP opening, leading to necrotic cell death. Although nonessential regulators of this pore are characterized, the molecular identity of the pore-forming component remains elusive. Two of these genetically verified regulators are cyclophilin D (CypD) and the adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) family. We investigated the ANT/CypD relationship in mPTP dynamics and I/R injury. Despite lacking all ANT isoforms, Ca2+-dependent mPTP opening persisted in cardiac mitochondria but was desensitized. This desensitization conferred resistance to I/R injury in ANT-deficient mice. CypD is hypothesized to …

A Supervised Machine Learning Statistical Design Of Experiment Approach To Modeling The Barriers To Effective Snakebite Treatment In Ghana, Eric Nyarko, Edmund F. Agyemang, Ebenezer Kwesi Ameho, Louis Agyekum, José María Gutiérrez, Eduardo Alberto Fernandez

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Snakebite envenoming is a serious condition that affects 2.5 million people and causes 81,000–138,000 deaths every year, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. The World Health Organization has set a goal to halve the deaths and disabilities related to snakebite envenoming by 2030. However, significant challenges in achieving this goal include a lack of robust research evidence related to snakebite incidence and treatment, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to combine established methodologies with the latest tools in Artificial Intelligence to assess the barriers to effective snakebite treatment in Ghana.

Method

We used a MaxDiff statistical experiment design …

A Conserved Role For Alg10/Alg10b And The N -Glycosylation Pathway In The Sleep-Epilepsy Axis, Shubhroz Gill, Torrey R Mandigo, Ayse Deniz Elmali, Brittany S Leger, Bo Yang, Steven Tran, Kanjana Laosuntisuk, Jacqueline M Lane, Dalton Bannister, Chanat Aonbangkhen, Kiel G Ormerod, Belinda Mahama, Kelsey N Schuch, Carolyn Elya, Jamilla Akhund-Zade, Suraj R Math, Nicholas C Lorocco, Soobin Seo, Matthew Maher, Oguz Kanca, Nerses Bebek, Derya Karadeniz, Gulcin Benbir Senel, Carolina Courage, Anna-Elina Lehesjoki, John W Winkelman, Hugo J Bellen, Benjamin De Bivort, Anne C Hart, J Troy Littleton, Betul Baykan, Colleen J Doherty, Girish C Melkani, David A Prober, Christina M Woo, Richa Saxena, Stuart L Schreiber, James A Walker

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) comprise a class of inborn errors of metabolism resulting from pathogenic variants in genes coding for enzymes involved in the asparagine-linked glycosylation of proteins. Unexpectedly to date, no CDG has been described for ALG10 , encoding the alpha-1,2-glucosyltransferase catalyzing the final step of lipid-linked oligosaccharide biosynthesis. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of human traits in the UK Biobank revealed significant SNP associations with short sleep duration, reduced napping frequency, later sleep timing and evening diurnal preference as well as cardiac traits at a genomic locus containing a pair of paralogous enzymes ALG10 and ALG10B . Modeling …

Study The Effects Of Temperature On Laser Cladding Process With Two Different Geometries Using Comsol Multiphysics, Luban Hamdy Hameed Al-Qudsy

AUIQ Technical Engineering Science

Due to the advancement of laser material processing and the high-demand of high-quality processing, COMSOL Multiphyiscs emerges as a powerful solution to the problem, offering multiple simulation in virtual environment with both 2D and 3D geometries. In this work, we aim to study the effects of thermal properties on the laser cladding using both 2D and 3D geometries with Nickle and Copper as promising candidates for rapid processing of materials. The work was done on a personal computer using commercially-available package of COMSOL Multiphysics 5.0. Results shows a notable increment of heat affected zone when the laser power increased. Additionally, …

Disturbance Observer-Based Control Schemes For Off-Grid Renewable Energy-Based Distributed Generation Systems Feeding Unbalanced And Nonlinear Loads, Samantha Sasi Stephen

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This thesis addresses two critical issues in Renewable Energy-based Distributed Generation (REDG) systems that operate autonomously to supply unbalanced and nonlinear loads. The first issue concerns voltage regulation in grid-forming three-phase Pulse Width Modulation Voltage Source Inverters (PWM VSIs), which convert DC power generated by Distributed Generators (DGs) into three-phase AC power. These inverters often face challenges when feeding unbalanced and nonlinear loads, leading to poor voltage quality. To address this, a voltage controller was developed for grid-forming three-phase PWM VSIs to deliver symmetrical and high-quality voltage to such loads. The proposed controller integrates a Disturbance Observer (DO) into a …

Adding In Commentary: One Word-Hoard, Two Periods, Three Clusters, Four Dimensions: A Yeats Knowledge Site, Warwick Gould

International Yeats Studies

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Impact Of Post Discharge Callback On Patients With Copd Exacerbation, Stephanie L. Staten

Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a post-discharge callback within 72 hours of discharge on medication adherence, attendance to post discharge follow up clinic visit, and 30-day readmissions in COPD patients. A secondary purpose was to explore reasons why patients who are discharged with a diagnosis of COPD exacerbation, did or did not adhere to their medications and keep their post-discharge follow up clinic visit during the 30-days following hospital discharge.

Nurse Delegation Decision Making: Impact On Nurse Job Satisfaction, Lynn Carol Parsons

Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to ascertain if a structured educational intervention (versus a mimic intervention) was followed by a statistically significant increase in nurse delegation decision making knowledge and nurse job satisfaction.

Assessing The Reach Of Health Access Resources In Indianapolis For Populations With Low Income, Kyler A. Casbon, Kai J. Gatting, Simran Nadig, Isabella K. Peckinpaugh, Alexandre A. Sauquet, Kourtney A. D. Byrd, Megan E. Conklin, Gicella Garcia, Mitchell L. Struewing, Omolola A. Adeoye-Olatunde

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Two public health crises that the United States are contending with are diabetes and the prevalence of opioid overdoses, both of which have a significant impact on communities nationwide. Inequities in social conditions contribute to health disparities amidst these diabetes and opioid overdose public health crises nationally and locally. To address these health inequities in Indianapolis, Indiana, the the Purdue University Center for Health Excellence, Quality and Innovation (CHEQI) shaped relationships through their CHAMP (Community Health Access Model Partnerships) services with local food pantries and homeless shelters, providing Indianapolis residents pre-diabetes screening and resources and convenient access to and education …

Wildlife Ambassadors, Carissa Lukac, Ibrahim Bhutta, Sunishka Deshpande, Amogh Jani

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Students at Purdue University are largely unaware of conservation efforts and research being done by both their fellow students and local organizations. This is why under the guidance of our mentor and as a part of the HIFI Lab, our group, the Wildlife Ambassadors, has created a website meant to push ecological efforts at Purdue University. This is done through the use of animal ambassadors, including but not limited to a wolf at Wolf Park, a local organization with which this project has been conducted in correspondence. This website will integrate and display the work of over three dozen other …

Promoting Cultural Belonging Through The Arts: Community Partner Snapshot Of Latino Art Midwest, Kayla Vasilko

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Kayla Vasilko just completed her Master’s degree in communication with a focus on semiotics and the impact of higher education on positive social change in the Purdue Graduate School and the PNW Department of Communication and Creative Arts. While earning her degree, she had the opportunity to complete a service-learning project to celebrate Spanish culture through the arts and work the community partner Latino Art Midwest. Latino Art Midwest works to promote understanding of the role of arts and creative expression among Midwestern Latina/o communities. Students can explore their site, “view the art, and interpret the unique qualities of Latina/o …

Crafting The Wings Of Tomorrow's Leaders, Anushka Sharma

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

SOAR is a social impact initiative I founded in partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters Lafayette. We provide novel leadership and character development resources for local Lafayette youth. The motto—engage, uplift, and achieve—speaks to my aims for inspiring the next generation of leaders, within Purdue members and local youth. This reflection essay is an opportunity to express the aims of SOAR, the intentionality behind this initiative, and how I hope to contribute to the development of youth in Lafayette and beyond. Mr. Brennan’s visit is a milestone for SOAR, and having the opportunity to converse with a renowned youth development leader …

Jovial Family Farm Facilitates Intergenerational Learning Opportunities Through Urban Farming, Maera Williams

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Maera Williams is a sophomore in Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. She joined the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) Urban Farming team as a freshman and now serves as project manager of ten undergraduate students collaborating with Jovial Family Farm to design and develop three indoor hydroponics systems for a laboratory space on their property in Broad Ripple, IN. Jovial Family Farm is a nonprofit organization founded by Drs. Bobbie and Brian Jellison with the mission to provide senior citizens, their families, and their communities with meaningful engagement opportunities on an intergenerational scale through urban agricultural activities. …

Wolf Park, Pawsing For Impactful Beginnings: The Role Of Community Engagement And Education In Service-Learning, John W. Robbins, Deniz Eksioglu, Kaushal Patel

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

Our team’s endeavor, conducted under the guidance of Dr. Kristen Bellisario, encapsulates a service-learning journey with Wolf Park, a sanctuary dedicated to the conservation and research of wolves and wildlife. Through immersive experiences, community outreach, and collaborative partnerships, our team sought to amplify public understanding of wildlife conservation and inspire a sense of responsibility among participants. This essay examines the impact of our initiatives on both the community and ourselves, emphasizing the transformative potential of education, engagement, and community partnerships in effecting positive societal change. Our team advocates for sustained support for wildlife conservation efforts and underscore the necessity of …

Empowering Tech Professionals: Mentorship And Interview Preparation In The Face Of Industry Layoffs, Sakhi Aggrawal

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In recent years, the Information Technology (IT) industry has witnessed significant turmoil, marked by waves of mass layoffs that have left numerous skilled professionals grappling with job loss and uncertainty. The year 2023 alone saw over 250,000 tech workers in U.S.-based companies lose their livelihoods due to corporate restructuring, with renowned giants like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta being forced to trim their workforce. This unsettling trend highligts a pressing need to support those affected and empower them to regain stability in their careers.

Against this backdrop, I, an experienced technical program manager and software engineer with a background at …

Editorial, Elizabeth B. Brite

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

No abstract provided.

Aboard The Giant Clam: Ramon Muzones's Maritime Historicization Of The Nation, Winton Lou G. Ynion

Kritika Kultura

Philippine literature scholarship is currently interested in decentering the discourse of nation-building from the capital to the periphery, but least often is attention given to the very geography that makes these communities marginalized. Habitually, multiculturalism and multilingualism have been convenient explanations for why it is difficult for the Philippines to come up with a “national literature” and a paradigm for imagining a nation. This essay centers on this neglected aspect, casting a novel written by a marginalized author in a vernacular language – the Margosatubig (1946) by Ramon Muzones. Three prime objectives guided the navigation of this paper: (1) to …

Training For Learner-Centered Pedagogy And Curriculum Design Agendain Staff Development For Problem-Based Learning (Pbl), Peter Freebody

Kritika Kultura

No abstract provided.

"Pedagogic Invasion": The Thomasites In Occupied Philippines, Dinah Roma-Sianturi

Kritika Kultura

The early education of the Philippines by American voluntary teachers (the Thomasites) is often hailed as a laudatory project. However, education can be a deceptive gift. The ethnographic writings of the Thomasite teachers, like Mary Fee’s A Woman’s Impressions of the Philippines, reveal that these well-meaning American teachers had their own colonial opinion of their Filipino students. Perhaps unwittingly, the Thomasite teachers were still part of the American colonial education policy. Most especially, the memoir writings reveal a perception of Filipino males as effeminate and childlike, an opinion that did much to legitimize the American colonial mandate.

A Medieval Book Fitting(?) From The ‘Atlit Castle, Vardit Shotten-Hallel, Dana Ashkenazi

'Atiqot

A metal object found on the surface at the ‘Atlit Castle was identified as a book fitting. Although such mounts could have served other functions, such as inlays, belt or girdle mounts, this artifact was probably an anchor-plate, part of a book clasp for a medieval codex, possibly of religious content, bound in a leather cover. Visual testing inspection and SEM-EDS analysis of the book fitting have shown that the item was made of a heterogeneous composition of copper alloy. This book fitting joins a growing corpus of metal artifacts from the Latin East, establishing a metallurgical database for future …

A Milestone Without A Road: A Distance Marker Below An Arch Of The High Aqueduct To Caesarea, Avner Ecker, Yotam Tepper, Avshalom Karasik

'Atiqot

A milestone located in Bet Ḥananya, below one of the arches of the Hadrianic High Aqueduct to Caesarea (Canal B), was subjected to a 3D scan. This technique enabled the reading of the inscription on the milestone and thereby, to date the stone to the period of the dual reign of Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (161–169 CE). It also became apparent that the stone marked the fourth mile station from Caesarea. This paper suggests that the milestone is in situ and marked a segment of the Roman imperial road between Caesarea and the legionary base at Legio. The …