Engineering Commons^™

Securing Foreign Oil: A Case For Including Military Operations In The Climate Change Impact Of Fuels, Adam J. Liska, Richard K. Perrin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Military operations are major industrial activities that use massive amounts of fuel and materials that significantly contribute to climate change. In this article, we assert that military activity to protect international oil trade is a direct production component for importing foreign oil— as necessary for imports as are pipelines and supertankers—and therefore the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from that military activity are relevant to U.S. fuel policies related to climate change. Military security for protection of global maritime petroleum distribution is part of the acquisition process, but in addition, recent Middle Eastern wars may also be related to securing petroleum …

Rapid Diagnosis Of Tuberculosis In A Peripheral Setting, Elsje Pienaar

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Tuberculosis is an ancient and worldwide epidemic affecting millions of people in mainly the developing world, killing almost 2 million people in 2008. Current diagnostic techniques are outdated and have proven insufficient to control the disease. Smear microscopy has poor sensitivity and culture is slow to yield results. Modern diagnostic techniques are making great strides in shortening time to result but are restricted by two qualities: 1) prohibitively high costs prevent implementation in resource poor areas, and 2) equipment and technician requirements limit application to centralized laboratories. There exists a divide between new technologies and the people that need them …

The Use Of Factor Analysis In The Development Of Hand Sizes For Glove Design, Trevor M. Mclain

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Factor analysis was used to develop a more detailed description of the human hand to be used in the creation of glove sizes; currently gloves sizes are small, medium, and large. The created glove sizes provide glove designers with the ability to create a glove design that can provide fit to the majority of hand variations in both the male and female populations. The research used the American National Survey (ANSUR) data that was collected in 1988. This data contains eighty-six length, width, height, and circumference measurements of the human hand for one thousand male subjects and thirteen hundred female …

A Concise Model Of 3x7 Wire Rope Used In Cable Guardrail Systems, Cody S. Stolle

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Wire rope is a versatile, flexible, high-strength member that is used in many mechanical systems. However, due to the complexity of wire rope, analytical investigations have been relatively limited. Previous attempts to create simplified models of wire rope were not validated with physical testing and used a cumbersome beam-and-shell or beam-and-solid method for simulating the wire rope. An improved LS-DYNA model of 19-mm diameter 3x7 wire rope commonly used in roadside cable guardrail installations has been developed. A Belytschko-Schwer beam element was selected along with material *MAT_166. Since wire rope displays internal damping due to friction of strands and wires, …

Development Of Advanced Finite Element Material Models For Cable Barrier Wire Rope, John D. Reid, Karla A. Lechtenberg, Cody S. Stolle

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

An improved LS-DYNA model of ¾-in. (19-mm) diameter 3x7 wire rope commonly used in roadside cable guardrail installations has been developed. A Belytschko-Schwer beam element was selected along with material *MAT_166. Numerical noise was reduced using part stiffness damping with a coefficient of 2%, and frequency range damping with a coefficient of 12%. The optimum element length based on timestep, accuracy, and computational cost was determined to be between 0.4 and 0.8 in. (10-20 mm). Dynamic component tests were conducted on wire rope to determine material properties. These tests were simulated and the results compared to the physical tests. The …

The Challenges Of Wastewater Irrigation In Developing Countries, M. Qadir, D. Wichelns, L. Raschid-Sally, Peter G. Mccornick, P. Drechsel, A. Bahri, P. S. Minhas

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The volume of wastewater generated by domestic, industrial, and commercial sources has increased with population, urbanization, improved living conditions, and economic development. The productive use of wastewater has also increased, as millions of small-scale farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of developing countries depend on wastewater or wastewater-polluted water sources to irrigate high-value edible crops for urban markets, often as they have no alternative sources of irrigation water. Undesirable constituents in wastewater can harm human health and the environment. Hence, wastewater irrigation is an issue of concern to public agencies responsible for maintaining public health and environmental quality. For diverse …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 6, Number 1, January 2010

BSE Department Magazine

No abstract provided.

Microbial And Mineralogical Characterizations Of Soils Collected From The Deep Biosphere Of The Former Homestake Gold Mine, South Dakota, Gurdeep Rastogi, Shariff Osman, Ravi K. Kukkadapu, Mark Engelhard, Parag A. Vaishampayan, Gary L. Andersen, Rajesh K. Sani

United States Department of Energy: Publications

A microbial census on deep biosphere (1.34 km depth) microbial communities was performed in two soil samples collected from the Ross and number 6Winze sites of the former Homestake gold mine, Lead, South Dakota using high-density 16S microarrays (PhyloChip). Soil mineralogical characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron, and Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques which demonstrated silicates and iron minerals (phyllosilicates and clays) in both samples. Microarray data revealed extensive bacterial diversity in soils and detected the largest number of taxa in Proteobacteria phylum followed by Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. The archael communities in the deep gold mine environments were …

Microbial Treatment Of Swine Fecal Waste To Generate Long-Chain Linear Alkanes After Fast Pyrolysis, Lisa A. Fitzgerald, C. Ziemer, S. E. Lizewski, Bradley R. Ringeisen, K. Henry, Justin C. Biffinger

United States Navy: Publications

Research into the generation of energy from human and animal waste has been primarily focused on gas production (especially methane and hydrogen). While there is some work concentrated on ethanol and biodiesel creation from wastes (fuels used for ground transportation primarily), increasing research interest has been recently directed toward long chain hydrocarbon production for aviation fuels. Kerosene components from swine fecal waste have been generated from four natural sources: undigested dietary lipids, host lipids excreted in feces, bacterial cell walls and products of bacterial fermentation.

Socio-Demographic And Drug Use Factors Associated With Hiv-1 Recombinants And Dual Infections In Northern Thai Drug Users: Associations Of Risk With Genetic Complexity, G. H. Kijak, C. Beyrer, S. Tovanabutra, T. Sripaipan, V. Suriyanon, N. Moqueet, E. Sanders-Buell, P. Saokhieo, U. Timpan, J. Jittiwutikarn, M. L. Robb, D. L. Birx, D. D. Celentano, F. E. Mccutchan

United States Army: Publications

Background:

Dual infection with diverse HIV strains can foster the emergence of recombinants. The resulting  increase in viral genetic diversity is a major challenge for vaccine development HIV treatment. In this study we aim to investigate the socio demographic factors associated with an increasing level of genetic diversity among HIV strains in a population of drug-users in Northern Thailand.

Methods:

From 1999 through 2000, 2231 volunteers were enrolled in the Opiate- Users Research in Chiang Mai, Thailand. HIV subtype analysis was conducted among those HIV-1 seropositive (n = 347) using a multi-region hybridization assay. Social and demographic variables were assessed …

Selecting And Conserving Lands For Biodiversity: The Role Of Remote Sensing, John Wiens, Robert Sutter, Mark Anderson, Jon Blanchard, Analie Barnett, Naikoa Aguilar-Amuchastegui, Chadwick Avery, Stephen Laine

United States Air Force: Publications

A major focus of conservation is on protecting areas to ensure the persistence of biological diversity. Because such areas may be large, not easily accessible, subject to change, and sensitive to the surrounding landscape, remote sensing can be a valuable tool in establishing and managing protected areas. We describe three case studies to illustrate how remote sensing can contribute to setting priorities for conservation actions, monitoring the status of conservation targets, and evaluating the effectiveness of conservation strategies. In the Connecticut River watershed, remote sensing has been used to assess flood regimes and identify key areas of floodplain forests and …

Artificial Insemination In South American Camelids And Wild Equids, G. P. Adams, M. H. Ratto, C. W. Collins, D. R. Bergfelt

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Publications

An overview of the present status of the use of artificial insemination (AI) in South American camelids and wild equids is offered. Technical aspects of semen collection, dilution and cryopreservation have limited the development and use of AI in camelid and equid species. To-date, efficiency is low but progress has been made and viable offspring have been produced through the use of AI in domestic South American camelids using both fresh and frozen semen. The origin, composition, and function of the viscous component of camelid seminal plasma remain a mystery and an obvious area for future research. A better understanding …

Coordinated Reactive Power Control Of A Large Wind Farm And A Statcom Using Heuristic Dynamic Programming, Wei Qiao, Ronald D. Harley, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

A novel interface neurocontroller (INC) is proposed for the coordinated reactive power control between a large wind farm equipped with doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) and a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). The heuristic dynamic programming (HDP) technique and radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) are used to design this INC. It effectively reduces the level of voltage sags as well as the over-currents in the DFIG rotor circuit during grid faults, and therefore, significantly enhances the fault ride-through capability of the wind farm. The INC also acts as a coordinated external damping controller for the wind farm and the STATCOM, …

Missing-Sensor-Fault-Tolerant Control For Sssc Facts Device With Real-Time Implementation, Wei Qiao, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Ronald G. Harley

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Control of power systems relies on the availability and quality of sensor measurements. However, measurements are inevitably subjected to faults caused by sensor failure, broken or bad connections, bad communication, or malfunction of some hardware or software. These faults, in turn, may cause the failure of power system controllers and consequently, severe contingencies in the power system. To avoid such contingencies, this paper presents a sensor evaluation and (missing sensor) restoration scheme (SERS) by using auto-associative neural networks (auto encoders) and particle swarm optimization. Based on the SERS, a missing-sensor-fault-tolerant control is developed for controlling a static synchronous series compensator …

Indirect Land Use Emissions In The Life Cycle Of Biofuels: Regulations Vs. Science, Adam J. Liska, Richard K. Perrin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Recent legislative mandates have been enacted at state and federal levels with the purpose of reducing life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation fuels. This legislation encourages the substitution of fossil fuels with “low-carbon” fuels. The burden is put on regulatory agencies to determine the GHG-intensity of various fuels, and those agencies naturally look to science for guidance. Even though much progress has been made in determining the direct life cycle emissions from the production of biofuels, the science underpinning the estimation of potentially significant emissions from indirect land use change (ILUC) is in its infancy. As legislation requires …

Control Of Ipm Synchronous Generator For Maximum Wind Power Generation Considering Magnetic Saturation, Wei Qiao, Qu, Richard G. Harley

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Permanent-magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) are commonly used for small variable-speed wind turbines to produce high-efficiency, high-reliability, and low-cost wind power generation. This paper proposes a novel control scheme for an interior PMSG (IPMSG) driven by a wind turbine, in which the d-axis and q-axis stator-current components are optimally controlled to achieve the maximum wind power generation and loss minimization of the IPMSG. The effect of magnetic saturation, which causes the highly nonlinear characteristics of the IPMSG, is considered in the control-scheme design. The optimal d-axis stator-current command is obtained as a function of the IPMSG rotor speed by solving a …

Real-Time Implementation Of A Statcom On A Wind Farm Equipped With Doubly Fed Induction Generators, Wei Qiao, Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Ronald G. Harley

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Voltage stability is a key issue to achieve the uninterrupted operation of wind farms equipped with doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) during grid faults. This paper investigates the application of a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) to assist with the uninterrupted operation of a wind turbine driving a DFIG, which is connected to a power network, during grid faults. The control schemes of the DFIG rotor- and grid-side converters and the STATCOM are suitably designed and coordinated. The system is implemented in real-time on a Real Time Digital Simulator. Results show that the STATCOM improves the transient voltage stability and therefore …

Farming Systems Education: Case Study Of Swedish Test Pilots, Lennart Salomonsson, Anna Nilsson, Sofia Palmer, Adam Roigart, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

We describe and analyze a pedagogical experiment that introduced a broad and holistic perspective on complete farming systems, systemic learning tools, and a participatory learning strategy at an early stage in agronomy education. The paper describes the adventure of three students, who came from a conventional agronomy program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), who were frustrated with the lack of integrated approaches to the study of agricultural systems and a strong focus on molecular-level processes in their first year of education. They encountered a narrow focus in most courses and the overall curricula of agricultural education that …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 4, Number 2, December 2008

BSE Department Magazine

Environmental Management Research
From the Department Head
Meet the Faculty
Alumni News
Comings and Goings
Alumna Profile
In Memoriam
Museum Hand-picked for HELP
Urban Water Quality
Summer Graduates
Distinguished Fellowship Awards
Partners in Pollution Prevention Interns
Quarter-scale Tractor Competition
Scholarships and Ice Cream
BSE faculty develop Odor Footprint Tool By Crystal Powers
Ethanol Co-product Storage and Utilization Conference, by John Hay
Biological Systems Engineering Department Hall of Fame: Don Eret and Ned Meier
International Symposium
Faculty and Staff News
University Service Awards
ASABE Annual Meeting

A Fundamental Study Of The Pcr Amplification Of Gc-Rich Dna Templates, T. G. Mamedov, Elsje Pienaar, Scott E. Whitney, Joel R. Termaat, G. Carvill, R. Goliath, Anuradha Subramanian, Hendrik J. Viljoen

Hendrik J. Viljoen Publications

A theoretical analysis is presented with experimental confirmation to conclusively demonstrate the critical role that annealing plays in efficient PCR amplification of GC-rich templates. The analysis is focused on the annealing of primers at alternative binding sites (competitive annealing) and the main result is a quantitative expression of the efficiency (η) of annealing as a function of temperature (T_A), annealing period (t_A), and template composition. The optimal efficiency lies in a narrow region of T_A and t_A for GC-rich templates and a much broader region for normal GC templates. To confirm the …

Engineering@Nebraska - Fall 2008

Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine)

Table of Contents:

Front & Center
A Welcome Home: Zero Net Energy Test House unites university and industry as students' learning is caught green-handed
Making their mark on mars: Huskers at Honeybee, a New York City robotics firm, work on Mars missions
Epigenetics: A dialogue between biologists and engineers: Joe Turner, professor and chair of the Department of Engineering Mechanics, collaborates with UNL plant scientist Sally McKenzie on nanoscale work with huge potential
Energy monitoring on the home front: Together with OPPD, Nebraska Engineering studies devices to promote efficiency
Wave of the future: Biological Systems Engineering professor Greg Bashford creates …

Engineering@Nebraska - Spring 2008

Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine)

Table of Contents:

Front & Center
Engineering Students Enjoy Spain Firsthand: With Nebraska Engineering’s focus on international education, “live and learn” happens in amazing settings. Warm up to the wonders of winter break in Spain.
Spring Break at 35,000 Feet: Nebraska Engineering’s undergraduate research reaches new heights in service to NASA. Ride along with blog posts from an uplifting experience in microgravity.
UNL Experts Build Better Bridges: Atorod Azizinamini—professor of Civil Engineering, researcher and director of UNL's National Bridge Research Organization (NABRO)—leads a team in applying a $2 million grant for safer spans.
Tiny Fibers, Huge Potential: The longterm research …

Phase 2a Trial Of 0, 1, And 3 Month And 0, 7, And 28 Day Immunization Schedules Of Malaria Vaccine Rts,S/As02 In Malaria-Naive Adults At The Walter Reed Army Institute Of Research, Kent E. Kester, James F. Cummings, Christian F. Ockenhouse, Robin Nielsen, B. Ted Hall, Daniel M. Gordon, Robert J. Schwenk, Urszula Krzych, Carolyn A. Holland, Gregory Richmond, Megan G. Dowler, Jackie Williams, Robert A. Wirtz, Nadia Tornieporth, Laurence Vigneron, Martine Delchambre, Marie-Ange Demoitie, W. Ripley Ballou, Joe Cohen, D. Gray Heppner Jr.

United States Army: Publications

Background: Immunization with RTS,S/AS02 consistently protects some vaccinees against malaria infection in experimental challenges and in field trials. A brief immunization schedule against falciparum malaria would be compatible with the Expanded Programme on Immunization, or in combination with other prevention measures, interrupt epidemic malaria or protect individuals upon sudden travel to an endemic area.
Methods: We conducted an open label, Phase 2a trial of two different full dose schedules of RTS,S/AS02 in 40 healthy malaria-naıve adults. Cohort 1 (n = 20) was immunized on a 0, 1, and 3 month schedule and Cohort 2 (n = 20) on a 0, …

Challenges In Earth System Modelling: Approaches And Applications, D.J. Erickson Ill, Robert J. Oglesby, S. Elliott, W. Steffen, G. Brasseur

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Earth system modelling has taken on increasing importance over the past several years. These models are being used to address an increasing number of environmental and global change problems of societal concern (e.g. Adams et al., 1998; Easterling et al., 2000; Foley et al., 2003). Perhaps most commonly known is the application to possible greenhouse-gas induced warming (Hoffman et al., 2005). Other compelling problems include the climatic effects of land use changes, aerosols (including sulphate emissions, and smoke from biomass burning; Erickson et al., 1995; Oglesby et al., 1999), changing trace gas fluxes, interactions and feedbacks with the global carbon …

Agricultural Systems: Agroecology And Rural Innovations For Development [Book Review], Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

To welcome yet another book on sustainable development, a reviewer must look for what is unique and what adds value to the volumes already published. In Agricultural Systems, editors Sieglinde Snapp and Barry Pound have assembled a collection of chapters that goes beyond the usual praise and criticism of the green revolution and the focus on economic development. Their book provides a first-hand story by people with lengthy experiences in the field, especially in Africa, who have developed and tested grassroots, participatory development approaches. The result is a valuable set of principles, strategies and case studies that paint a new …

Response Of Phlebotomine Sand Flies To Light-Emitting Diode-Modified Light Traps In Southern Egypt, D. F. Hoel, Emad Y. Fawaz, J.E Butler, N. Watany, S. S. El-Hossary, J. Villinski

United States Navy: Publications

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps were modified for use with light-emitting diodes (LED) and compared against a control trap (incandescent light) to determine the effectiveness of blue, green, and red lights against standard incandescent light routinely used for sand fly surveillance. Light traps were baited with dry ice and rotated through a 4 x 4 Latin square design during May, June, and July, 2006. Trapping over 12 trap nights yielded a total of 2,298 sand flies in the village of Bahrif, 6 km north of Aswan on the east bank of the Nile River in southern …

Department Of Biological Systems Engineering Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 1, June 2007

BSE Department Magazine

Contents:
Award Winning Academic Advisor
Hall of Fame 2007 Leslie W. Jochens, P.E. Leader in the Irrigation Industry
From the Department Head
John Deere Dealership Management Banquet
Alumni Profiles: Mike Henry
The Incredible, Edible Vehicle Competition
Graduation
December 2006 Graduates
May 2007 Graduates
Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences—UCARE
Honors Convocation
In Memoriam
Alumni News
Faculty News
Comings and Goings

Impact Of Phlebotomine Sand Flies On U.S. Military Operations At Tallil Air Base, Iraq: 3. Evaluation Of Surveillance Devices For The Collection Of Adult Sand Flies, Douglas A. Burkett, Ronald Knight, James A. Dennett, Van Sherwood, Edgar Rowton, Russell E. Coleman

United States Air Force: Publications

We evaluated the effectiveness of commercially available light traps and sticky traps baited with chemical light sticks for the collection of phlebotomine sand flies. Evaluations were conducted at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, in 2003. In an initial study, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-style trap with UV bulb collected significantly more sand flies than did an up-draft CDC trap, a standard down-draft CDC trap (STD-CDC), or a sticky strap with a green chemical light stick. In a subsequent study, we found that the addition of chemical light sticks to sticky traps resulted in a significant increase in the …

Protection With Recombinant Clostridium Botulinum C1 And D Binding Domain Subunit (Hc) Vaccines Against C And D Neurotoxins, Robert P. Webb, Theresa J. Smith, Patrick M. Wright, Vicki A. Montgomery, Michael M. Meagher, Leonard A. Smith

Michael Meagher Publications

Recombinant botulinum Hc (rBoNT Hc) vaccines for serotypes C1 and D were produced in the yeast Pichia pastoris and used to determine protection against four distinct BoNT C and D toxin subtypes. Mice were vaccinated with rBoNT/C1 Hc, rBoNT/D Hc, or with a combination of both vaccines and challenged with BoNT C1, D, C/D, or D/C toxin. Mice receiving monovalent vaccinations were partially or completely protected against homologous toxin and not protected against heterologous toxin. Bivalent vaccine candidates completely survived challenges from all toxins except D/C toxin. These results indicate the recombinant C1 and D Hc vaccines are not only …

Recasting Dilemma Zone Design As A Marginal Cost-Benefit Problem, Anuj Sharma, Darcy M. Bullock, Srinivas Peeta

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

One control objective at high-speed isolated intersections is to provide safe phase transition by minimizing the occurrence of high-speed vehicles in the dilemma zone before the phase is terminated. An upper limit for extending the green (maximum green time) is used to avoid an indefinite extension of the main-street green. Currently, the maximum green times are chosen by using engineering judgment. This approach does not explicitly consider the trade-offs between safety and delay and hence often results in both unsafe and inefficient performance at the intersection under medium to heavy traffic volumes. The dilemma problem is recast as one of …