Engineering Commons^™

A Robust Random Forest Prediction Model For Mother-To-Child Hiv Transmission Based On Individual Medical History, Rebecca Chaula

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) continues to be a leading cause of mortality and reduces manpower throughout the world. HIV transmission from mother to child is still a global challenge in health research. According to UNAIDS, in every 7 girls, 6 are found to be newly infected among adolescents whereby 15-24 years are likely to be living with HIV which is the maternal age and likely to transfer to the child. Machine learning methods have been used to predict HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child but left behind some important considerations including the use of patient-level information and techniques in balancing …

Investigating The Support For Agility In Developing Government Software Systems: A Case Of Three East African Countries, Leonard Peter Binamungu

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Agile Software Development Methods support an iterative and incremental way of developing software systems while responding to change by prioritising various aspects at different times. This differs from traditional sequential methods like Waterfall, in which one software development stage has to be completed before starting the next stage. To produce software systems that meet the requirements of their institutions, several governments in Africa have issued standards and guidelines to be followed during the development of government software systems. Such standards and guidelines specify the specific activities and deliverables for each stage of software development. While well-intentioned, such guidelines and standards …

Insight Into Nano-Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery From Carbonate Reservoirs Using Environmentally Friendly Nanomaterials, Ali Ahmadi, Abbas Khaksar Manshad, Jagar A. Ali, Stefan Iglauer, S. Mohammad Sajadi, Alireza Keshavarz, Amir H. Mohammadi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes is very effective in reducing the interfacial tension (IFT) and surface tension (ST) and altering the wettability of reservoir rocks. The main purpose of this study was to use the newly synthesized nanocomposites (KCl / SiO₂ / Xanthan NCs) in EOR applications. Several analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were applied to confirm the validity of the synthesized NCs. From the synthesized NCs, nanofluids were prepared at different concentrations of 100-2000 ppm and characterized using electrical conductivity, IFT, …

Architecture Between Development And Ability Programs, Allaa Ahmed Rasheed, Ibrahim Jawad Kadhim

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The development of architecture and its pursuit of perfection can only be achieved through society to reach a specific result when meeting new desires that arise as a result of human development, expanding individual and societal needs, and deepening their relationships in multifaceted ways. The research focuses on development as it requires a clear cumulative vision of the integrative relationship between practice and participation in interpreting the act (effect) from the force (influence). It emphasizes that the power of capabilities is understood through learning and education in describing the capabilities of architecture. This involves adopting new ideas and intellectual premises …

Development Of A Nanobiodegradable Drilling Fluid Using Prosopis Farcta Plant And Pomegranate Peel Powders With Metal Oxide Nanoparticles, Jagar A. Ali, Rawezh N. Ahmed, Abdullah D. Abdullah, Nali H. Ali, Abdullah M. Kalhury, Ayub N. Sabir, Abbas Khaksar Manshad, Alireza Keshavarz, Amir H. Mohammadi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

One of the inevitable problems encountered during the petroleum well drilling process is "lost circulation"in which part of the drilling fluid is lost into the formation. A combination of nanoparticles with their unique properties and cost-effective biodegradable materials can play an effective role in treating fluid loss. In this study, our aim was to formulate drilling fluids modified with nanoparticles, pomegranate peel powder, and Prosopis farcta plant powder. The drilling fluids were identified and recognized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. Furthermore, experimental tests were conducted in order to investigate the performance of the …

A Database Of Teleseismic Shear-Wave Splitting Measurements For The Ordos Block And Adjacent Areas, Lin Liu, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu, Tu Xue, Yan Jia, Sanzhong Li

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Ordos block of the north China craton and its surrounding regions are affected by the India-Eurasia collision to the southwest and the subduction of the Pacific beneath the Eurasian plates to the east. To provide the foundation for delineating lithospheric deformation and asthenospheric flow beneath this tectonically diverse region, we have created a database of individual shear-wave splitting (SWS) parameters by applying a uniform set of data processing procedures. After automatic data processing and manual checking, a total of 16,228 pairs of well-defined PKS, SKKS, and SKS splitting parameters (fast orientations and splitting times) are obtained from 1023 broadband …

Hydrochemistry Of High-Mountain Pamir Rivers: Formation, Changes And Influence On The Chemical Composition Of Irrigation Water, Parviz Inomovich Normatov, Inom Normatov, Akobir Karimzoda, Rano Eshankulova, Ayubdzon Normatov, Nurmakhmad Shermatov

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

The purpose of the research is to analyze the prospects for the agriculture development in the Central Asian region and Tajikistan in particular, in terms of identifying the main favorable and constraining factors for the further agriculture development. The Pyanj river is one of the main tributaries of the Transboundary Amu Darya River in the Central Asian region, whose waters are a source of drinking water supply for the population and 80% used for irrigation of agricultural land. The trend of deteriorating water quality of Central Asian River systems recently has been increasing, and monitoring water quality from the formation …

Study Thermodynamics Of The Magnetite Sulfidation In Copper Smelting Processes, A S. Khasanov, Q T. Ochildiyev, B T. Berdiyarov, Sh T. Khojiev, S T. Matkarimov

Technical science and innovation

The article discusses the problem of reducing the amount of magnetite in the impregnation of copper in the slag generated after the conversion process in copper production in the furnace to reduce slag. Accordingly, a method of lowering magnetite by sulfidation has been proposed, using elemental sulfur as a local and relatively inexpensive sulfiding-reducing agent. The mechanism of chemical phenomena occurring in the interaction regions of magnetite and elemental sulfur has been developed. Based on the mechanism of chemical reactions produced, each chemical reaction that occurs in the process is analysed from a thermodynamic point of view. According to the …

The Effective Strategies For Mitigation The Impact Of Covid-19 On Construction Projects In Egypt, Nora Magdy Essa, Ibrahim Mahdi, Hassan Mohamed Ibrahim

Future Engineering Journal

From the time when the first narrated infections in Wuhan China, in late 2019, COVID-19 has had a substantial peal on human life and health. By the early of 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the eruption of COVID-19, a public health crisis of international concern. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization officially announced COVID-19 a pandemic. The first case was infected in Egypt of covid-19 on Feb 14, 2020 (Gilbert et al., 2020). On 16 March 2020, the Egyptian Government began issuing decisions as preventative courses as part of the country's inclusive plan to cope with …

Evaluation Of Aluminum Dissolution, Current Density, And Pitting Patterns During Electrocoagulation, Monica Castro Carias

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Electrocoagulation (EC) is a sustainable water treatment process involving the generation of coagulants on-site through the application of a voltage on metal (usually aluminum or iron alloys). The factors that impact EC system performance have been well researched, however further research is needed on the factors that impact anodic dissolution of aluminum electrodes, especially when the technology is transferred to full-scale applications. Electrode fouling is one of the factors that can impact dissolution of the anode during EC due to the formation of a protective oxide/hydroxide layer on the electrode surface. Previous studies have addressed electrode fouling by reversing polarity, …

Lithospheric Structure Underneath The Archean Tanzania Craton And Adjacent Regions From A Joint Inversion Of Receiver Functions And Rayleigh-Wave Phase Velocity Dispersion, Tuo Wang, Stephen S. Gao, Qiuyue Yang, Ling Chen, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lithospheric structure beneath the Archean Tanzania craton and adjacent regions, including segments of the East African rift system (EARS) and the Proterozoic-early Paleozoic orogenic belts between the EARS and the craton, is imaged by a joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave dispersion measurements derived from ambient seismic noise for shorter periods and teleseismic data for longer periods. Our resulting crustal thickness, crustal VP= VS measurements and 3D shear-wave velocity model for the upper 120 km show a clear spatial correspondence with major surficial geological features. The new results suggest the presence of a mafic layer in the bottom …

Liquid And Solids Phase Backmixing In A Bubble And Slurry Bubble Column Using A Virtual Tracer Response Methodology Based On The Trajectory Data Of The Radioactive Particle Tracking (Rpt) Technique, Lu Han, Premkumar Kamalanathan, Muthanna H. Al-Dahhan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Virtual tracer response methodology developed based on the trajectory data of the computer aided radioactive particle tracking (CARPT) technique was demonstrated. The demonstrated virtual tracer technique has advantages of non-invasiveness, near perfect injection/sampling, and flexibility in choosing the sampling/injection boundaries in a specific spatial pattern. With the developed virtual tracer technique, liquid and solids back mixing was investigated at the conditions mimicking Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Experiments were conducted at different pressure, solids loading, and superficial gas velocity. The axial dispersion model (ADM) and recirculation and cross flow dispersion (RCFD) models were used to model the liquid mixing. Transient sedimentation dispersion model …

Desalination Waste Revitalization Using Carbon Capture: Process Optimization Using Machine Learning, Ahmed Mohamed Elsayed

Theses

Over the next five to ten years, desalination will play an ever-important role in our society. Developing nations will look at desalination from the point of water scarcity, while developed nations will consider the perspective of the Water-Energy-Food nexus. With current technology, for every liter of freshwater produced, one and a half liters is thrown away as waste. This body of research proposes to employ chemical precipitation in ammoniated brine solutions, that have reasonably high ionic concentrations. CO2 absorption in Bubble Column Reactors can reduce sodium ions by precipitating NaHCO3. Also, the absorbed CO2 can reduce chloride ions and induce …

Continental Break-Up Under A Convergent Setting: Insights From P Wave Radial Anisotropy Tomography Of The Woodlark Rift In Papua New Guinea, Youqiang Yu, Frederik Tilmann, Dapeng Zhao, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To explore the dynamic mechanism of continental rifting within a convergent setting, we determine the first P wave radial anisotropic tomography beneath the Woodlark rift in southeastern Papua New Guinea, which develops within the obliquely colliding zone between the Australian and southwest Pacific plates. The rift zone is depicted as localized low-velocity anomalies with positive radial anisotropy, which rules out a dominant role of active mantle upwelling in promoting the rift development and favors passive rifting with decompression melting as main processes. Downwelling slab relics in the upper mantle bounding the rift zone are revealed based on observed high-velocity anomalies …

Chemical Thermodynamics—A Practical Wonderland, Rubin Battino, Trevor M. Letcher

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Chemical thermodynamics is frequently thought of as being a hard subject and quite abstract. In fact, it is one of the most practical of subjects when you consider that the field of chemical engineering (responsible for endless useful applications) is effectively applied chemical thermodynamics. In this essay, examples of these applications are given, especially with respect to sustainability. The essay first considers the limits of thermodynamics and the constraints put on it in terms of the rigorous definitions of the principal function’s energy, entropy, and Gibbs energy.

Mimicking The Namib Desert Beetle With Hydrophilic And Hydrophobic Surfaces, Tyler Bracewell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Namib Desert beetle, Stenocara gracilipes, condenses fog that rolls in off the west coast of Namibia to provide itself with the water it needs for the day. By lifting its abdomen into the air to collect the water vapor, it condenses on hydrophilic bumps that are about 500μm in diameter and are spaced apart about 500-1500μm. Once the water reaches a critical size, the droplet rolls off the hydrophilic bump and onto the flat hydrophobic surface of the elytra. Since the beetle is angled with its abdomen in the air, the water rolls down to its mouth. A …

Evaluation Of Recrosslinkable Preformed Particle Gel (Rppg) As A Fluid Loss Control Material During Drilling Operations, Mohamed Saad M. Ahdaya

Doctoral Dissertations

"One of the most intense, expensive, and time-consuming problems during drilling operations is the loss of circulation, which could result in several consequences, including wellbore collapse, fluid inflow, formation damage, environmental issues, and nonproductive time. This research aims to evaluate novel materials that can mitigate lost circulation and overcome the limitation of other materials. In this research, a comprehensive evaluation of a re-crosslinkable preformed particle gel (RPPG) has been conducted to determine the extent to which it can be used to control drilling fluid losses during drilling operations. The RPPG consists of swellable gel particles that can self-crosslink to form …

Scale Up Of Benzoxazinone Derivative Synthesis In Batch Reactor, Sumate Boonkird

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Benzoxazinone derivative is one of starting materials in the synthesis of Deferasirox (a Chelating iron for thalassemia patient). The parameters of Benzoxazinone derivative synthesis were investigated from the condensation of salicylic acid, salicylamide, cyanuric chloride, and triethylamine using toluene as solvent. The mole equivalent ratio of salicylic acid: salicylamide:cyanuric chloride:triethylamine at 1:1:0.67:1 provided the 46.77% yield of Benzoxazinone derivative in laboratory scale. Surprisingly, 4-chloro-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-benzo[e][1,3]oxazine-4-ol was observed in the synthesis of Benzoxazinone derivative. In addition, the reaction scheme of Benzoxazinone derivative synthesis was proposed as a model for the study of the chemical kinetic constant. Furthermore, the scale up of Benzoxaxinone …

Scale Model Equations And Optimization For Annular Flow Of Non-Newtonian Fluids Between Eccentric And Rotating Cylinders, Wei Zhang, Pooya Khodaparast, Amin Mehrabian Dr., Amir Shojaei

Progress in Scale Modeling, an International Journal

A broad range of engineering applications involves helical flow of non-Newtonian fluids between two eccentric cylinders. These applications often require estimation of the frictional pressure losses along the axes of the cylinders. Laboratory flow loops are commonly used to study the flow characteristics at smaller scales of investigation. This study uses the laws of similarity and dimensional analysis to obtain a set of scaling equations between the laboratory and prototype scales of the described annular flow. These equations are derived for four types of fluid rheology including Newtonian, power-law, Bingham-plastic, and yield power-law.

Results are expressed through a set of …

Application Of Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage (Gagd) Process For Enhancing Recovery From Unconventional Resources, Muzher Al Musabeh

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The oil recovery with hydraulic fracturing has played an important role in hydrocarbon production and energy support last decade from unconventional resources. Characteristically, the significant production decline and low recovery factors from these reservoirs triggered the need for new EOR techniques to compensate for the decline and help sustain the production. In this study, an experimental investigation of the Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) process in the presence of fractures as EOR process was conducted using Nitrogen (N2) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in Berea Sandstone (BSS) and Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS). Core flooding and EOR experiments were used to determine the …

Asphaltene Thermodynamic Flocculation During Immiscible Nitrogen Gas Injection, Mukhtar Elturki, Abdulmohsin Imqam

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gas-enhanced oil recovery is one of the most advantageous enhanced oil recovery methods. Nitrogen is one of the most investigated gases because of its beneficial properties. However, during its interaction with crude oil, nitrogen can induce asphaltene deposition, which may result in severe formation damage and pore plugging. Few works have investigated the impact of nitrogen on asphaltene instability. This research studied the immiscibility conditions for nitrogen in nanopores and the impact of nitrogen on asphaltene precipitations, which could lead to plugging pores and oil recovery reduction. A slimtube was used to determine the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of nitrogen …

Hydrocracking Of Octacosane And Cobalt Fischer–Tropsch Wax Over Nonsulfided Nimo And Pt-Based Catalysts, Wenping Ma, Jungshik Kang, Gary Jacobs, Shelley D. Hopps, Burtron H. Davis

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

The effect of activation environment (N₂, H₂ and H₂S/H₂) on the hydrocracking performance of a NiMo/Al catalyst was studied at 380 °C and 3.5 MPa using octacosane (C₂₈). The catalyst physical structure and acidity were characterized by BET, XRD, SEM-EDX and FTIR techniques. The N₂ activation generated more active nonsulfided NiMo/Al catalyst relative to the H₂ or H₂S activation (X_C28, 70–80% versus 6–10%). For a comparison, a NiMo/Si-Al catalyst was also tested after normal H₂ activation and showed higher activity at the same process …

Direct Activation Of Light Alkanes To Value-Added Chemicals Using Supported Metal Oxide Catalysts, Md Ashraful Abedin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

One of the most challenging aspects of modern-day catalysis is the conversion of methane. Direct conversion of methane via dehydroaromatization (MDHA) is a well-known process which can produce valuable hydrocarbons. Mo oxide supported on ZSM-5/MCM-22 has been studied extensively in recent years for MDHA. Mo carbides are responsible for activating methane by forming CHx species. These are dimerized into C2Hy and oligomerized on ZSM-5/MCM-22 Brønsted acid sites to form aromatics. Sulfated zirconia (SZ) supported Mo catalyst contains the acid sites necessary to produce benzene in MDHA. Here, sulfated hafnia (SH), a homologous oxide like SZ, has been proposed to provide …

Production Of Pure Vanadium: Industry Review And Feasibility Study Of Electron Beam Melt Refining Of V–Al Alloys, Devin Rappleye, Rob Haun

Faculty Publications

The vanadium industry has experienced significant change over the last two decades with the emergence of vanadium redox flow batteries for grid-level energy storage, the growing demand for high-strength steel, and the selection of vanadium as a critical material in multiple countries. This review presents the status of the vanadium industry examining production processes and detailing facilities. The available information for each producer is presented including vanadium products and capacity. The production of pure vanadium is identified as a potential vulnerability for some nations where vanadium metal is needed in small, yet strategic, applications and globally only two producers of …

Single-Particle Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Isoelectric Point And Comparison To Variants Of Interest, Oluwatoyin Areo, Pratik U. Joshi, Mark Obrenovich, Moncef Tayahi, Caryn L. Heldt

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, is a new, highly pathogenic coronavirus, which is the third coronavirus to emerge in the past 2 decades and the first to become a global pandemic. The virus has demonstrated itself to be extremely transmissible and deadly. Recent data suggest that a targeted approach is key to mitigating infectivity. Due to the proliferation of cataloged protein and nucleic acid sequences in databases, the function of the nucleic acid, and genetic encoded proteins, we make predictions by simply aligning sequences and exploring their homology. Thus, similar amino acid sequences in a protein usually confer similar biochemical …

Degumming Of Hemp Fibers Using Combined Microwave Energy And Deep Eutectic Solvent, Bulbul Ahmed

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp is considered as one of the sustainable agricultural fiber materials. Degumming or surface modification of hemp bast is needed to produce single fibers for ensuing textile and industrial applications. The traditional degumming process necessitates a high amount of alkali, which causes detrimental environmental pollution. This study offers a new method to degum hemp fibers with reduced use of harmful alkali and precious water resources. In this work, hemp bast fibers were degummed by using combined microwave energy and deep eutectic solvent (DES). The properties of hemp fibers manufactured by this method were investigated and compared with the traditional alkali …

Water Regulation For Enhancing Soil Quality Using Cactus Mucilage: A Theoretical And Experimental Analysis, Khuloud Alrashdi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As water is one of the primary sources of life, it is essential in an endless number of systems and processes to be utilized efficiently in nature and in practical applications. One of these applications includes farming, which depletes a lot of water as the water irrigation systems cover large soil areas. While water is a critical factor in growing crops, a question here stands, can the irrigation process be transformed? This is the overarching goal of my work since it is centered on studying if cactus mucilage, a natural substance, is capable of improving water absorption processes on crops …

Peptoid-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles For Zika Virus Envelope Protein Detection, Meagan Olsen

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Detection and identification of viral pathogens is essential in providing effective and rapid medical treatment. Well-established detection methods can be expensive, slow, and sometimes unable to provide the needed sensitivity and specificity. The Zika virus is one clinically relevant pathogen that cannot be easily identified due to cross-reactivity with other viruses from the same family. Electrochemical sensors enhanced with peptoid-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are an alternative to traditional techniques that offers rapid, accurate, label-free pathogen detection for point-of-care diagnostics. To this end, a peptoid capable of binding to the Zika virus envelope protein was developed and its binding affinity for …

Gold-Semiconductor Photocatalysts For Water Treatment Under Visible And Ultraviolet Light, Daniel Willis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Water scarcity threatens the lives of millions of people worldwide. It is imperative to improve the energy efficiency and affordability of water treatment methods to avoid a looming water-energy crisis. To meet this challenge, I have pursued research on the use of sunlight—our most reliable and abundant source of energy—to drive water treatment through photocatalysis. I explored the literature and found gold-semiconductor materials to hold promise for harvesting sunlight and catalyzing the breakdown of waterborne contaminants. Initially, I designed a novel optical cavity with gold (Au) nanoparticles on a zinc oxide / titania (TiO₂) / aluminum film stack …

Transforming Corn Stover To Useful Transport Fuel Blends In Resource-Limited Settings, Nicholas Munu, Noble Banadda, Nicholas Kiggundu, Ahamada Zziwa, Isa Kabenge, Jeffrey Seay, Robert Kambugu, Joshua Wanyama, Albrecht Schmidt

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Development of local technologies is crucial to the sustainable energy agenda in resource-limited countries and the world. Strengthening local green technologies and promoting local utilization will reduce carbon emissions that could be generated during transportation and delivery of green products from one country to another. In this paper we developed bio-oil/diesel blends using a low-tech pyrolysis system designed for smallholder farmers in developing countries and tested their appropriateness for diesel engines using standard ASTM methods. Corn stover retrieved from smallholder farmers in Gayaza, Uganda were pyrolyzed in a batch rocket stove reactor at 350 °C and liquid bio-oil harvested. Bio-oil …