Engineering Commons^™

Transport Barriers Influence The Activation Of Anti-Tumor Immunity: A Systems Biology Analysis, Mohammad R. Nikmaneshi, James W. Baish, Hengbo Zhou, Lance L. Munn

Faculty Journal Articles

Effective anti-cancer immune responses require activation of one or more naïve T cells. If the correct naïve T cell encounters its cognate antigen presented by an antigen presenting cell, then the T cell can activate and proliferate. Here, mathematical modeling is used to explore the possibility that immune activation in lymph nodes is a rate-limiting step in anti-cancer immunity and can affect response rates to immune checkpoint therapy. The model provides a mechanistic framework for optimizing cancer immunotherapy and developing testable solutions to unleash anti-tumor immune responses for more patients with cancer. The results show that antigen production rate and …

An Lp-Based Characterization Of Solvable Qap Instances With Chess-Board And Graded Structures, Lucas Waddell, Jerry Phillips, Tianzhu Liu, Swarup Dhar

Faculty Journal Articles

The quadratic assignment problem (QAP) is perhaps the most widely studied nonlinear combinatorial optimization problem. It has many applications in various fields, yet has proven to be extremely difficult to solve. This difficulty has motivated researchers to identify special objective function structures that permit an optimal solution to be found efficiently. Previous work has shown that certain such structures can be explained in terms of a mixed 0-1 linear reformulation of the QAP known as the level-1 reformulation-linearization-technique (RLT) form. Specifically, the objective function structures were shown to ensure that a binary optimal extreme point solution exists to the continuous …

Integration Of Public Policy Into Civil Engineering Undergraduate Curricula: Review Of Civil Engineering Body Of Knowledge And Course Application, Michelle R. Oswald Beiler

Faculty Conference Papers and Presentations

The field of civil and environmental engineering directly ties with serving the needs of the public through infrastructure development and improvements in sustainable environments. Integrating this reciprocal connection between public policy and civil engineering into undergraduate civil engineering education is critical for the preparation of the next generation of engineers. This project, first, reviews the guidance of public policy in civil engineering programs, such as ASCE’s Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge. Then, a pedagogical application is presented that focuses on the integration of public policy concepts, methods, assessment tools and techniques in a required, upper level course in civil and …

Solid-State Shear Pulverization: A Comprehensive Study On Polymer Processing Technology From A Systematic Innovation Perspective, Tyler A. Will

Master’s Theses

Solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP) is a continuous and scalable processing technique that imposes mechanochemical changes in polymer-based materials. It has been shown to impart beneficial properties onto homopolymers or create copolymers and composites through continuous fragmentation and fusion. The unique technology employs cold temperature to keep the polymer in the solid state. This thesis investigates industrial polymer processing in the context of real-world applications. This thesis analyzes SSSP using an organized methodology called systematic innovation (SI). SI facilitates problem solving by assisting engineers in conducting root cause analysis around a material and studying the physical setup of the equipment.

This …

Temperature-Dependent Diffusion In Block Copolymer Organogels, Ridwana Bashar

Master’s Theses

Organogels are often considered for transport-based applications such as transdermal drug delivery vehicles and gel actuators due to their unique properties. Recent consideration of styrenic block copolymer based organogels’ application in transdermal drug delivery requires an extensive investigation of drug diffusion behavior through these gels to assess their applicability. Temperature is a major influencing parameter on diffusion. The goal of this research is to better understand the impact of temperature on diffusion in styrenic triblock copolymer organogels. To accomplish this goal, we focused on three specific objectives: (i) accurately measure the diffusivities of a solute – AOT reverse micelles – …

Characterizing Variability In The Transient Storage Zones Of Miller Run In Lewisburg, Pa, Sabrina Savidge

Master’s Theses

The transient storage zone processes are investigated in a small second order stream with a 2.2 square kilometer watershed. The presence of transient storage zones in small streams impacts the available flow paths for water and results in a wider range of residence times for water and dissolved chemicals than would be predicted by considering only the main channel flow path. Residence times can be used to quantify the health of a stream as several biogeochemical and ecological processes occur in water slowed by transient storage.

Sections of the studied stream are impacted by varying types of stream restoration practices …

Pneumatic Latched Demultiplexer Circuit For Controlling Multi-Actuator Soft Robots, Arsh Noor Amin

Master’s Theses

This thesis presents a novel method for controlling multi-actuator soft robots using pneumatic latched demultiplexer circuits implemented with monolithic membrane valves. The pneumatic circuits are designed to address the problems of heavy dependence on hard electrical components and lack of feasible multi-actuator soft robotic systems that limit the potential applications of soft robotics. The proposed pneumatic demultiplexers reduce the number of solenoid valves and electrical components required to drive soft robotic systems, making soft robot control mechanisms more compliant, scalable, and versatile. The thesis demonstrates the design, fabrication, and testing of 4-bit and n-bit pneumatic demultiplexer circuits that can control …

Exploration Of Robotics Need In The Medical Field And Robotic Arm Operation Via Glove Control, Aditi Vijayvergia

Master’s Theses

This thesis project is an exercise in getting hands-on experience in redesigning and modifying a robotic system. It also involves understanding the current need for robotic applications in hospital settings. To achieve the above, a thorough literature review of the current state of robotics in a hospital setting was conducted. Moreover, a number of interviews with medical care professionals were completed. Three main themes were obtained from the literature review and five main themes were obtained from the interviews which will be presented in this thesis report. The next phase of the project involved redesigning a system that is composed …

Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (Htdma) Design And Testing For Aerosol Hygroscopic Behavior Studies, Ziheng Zeng

Honors Theses

Most particles in the atmosphere take up water when exposed to increasing relative humidity (RH), and this behavior is described and quantized by a hygroscopicity parameter, kappa. Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analysis (HTDMA) can be used to measure the physicochemical properties of aerosol particles and study phenomena that lead to size changes in submicron aerosol particles. Specifically, HTDMA measures how aerosol particles of different initial dry sizes grow or shrink when exposed to changing RH. HTDMA uses two differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) and a humidification system to make these measurements. One DMA selects a narrow size range of dry aerosol …

An Investigation Into Aluminum’S Torsional Behavior Of Circular, Rectangular, And Square Cross-Sections, Marly Mcclintock

Honors Theses

The Specifications for Aluminum Structures (2020) provides the standards that structural engineers follow for aluminum design. Included in these specifications are limit state equations that use strength properties to calculate a member’s initial yield, full yield, and rupture values. One limit state that the standards currently neglect is the torsional failure of solid bars. Torsion is the act of rotation caused by a twisting force, otherwise known as torque. Future installments of the specifications hope to include torsional yielding and rupture equations, so this study investigates the validity of these proposed equations.

Two different aluminum alloys were investigated for this …

Piv Measurements Of Open-Channel Turbulent Flow Under Unconstrained Conditions, James K. Arthur

Faculty Journal Articles

Many open-channel turbulent flow studies have been focused on highly constrained conditions. Thus, it is rather conventional to note such flows as being fully developed, fully turbulent, and unaffected by sidewalls and free surface disturbances. However, many real-life flow phenomena in natural water bodies and artificially installed drain channels are not as ideal. This work is aimed at studying some of these unconstrained conditions. This is achieved by using particle image velocimetry measurements of a developing turbulent open-channel flow over a smooth wall. The tested flow effects are low values of the Reynolds number based on the momentum thickness Re …