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2008

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Articles 1381 - 1410 of 4190

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Assessment Of Potential Site Selection Methods For Use In Prioritizing Safety Improvements On Georgia Roadways, Priyanka Alluri Jul 2008

Assessment Of Potential Site Selection Methods For Use In Prioritizing Safety Improvements On Georgia Roadways, Priyanka Alluri

All Theses

With over 40,000 people continuing to die on US roads each year, the US government has heightened the awareness of critical safety issues with the passage of SAFETEA - LU legislation in 2005. The plan requires each of the states to develop a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) and incorporate data-driven approaches to prioritize and evaluate program outcomes; else federal funds will be redirected. Seeking to meet the new demands for data-driven approaches, many states are struggling to identify data collection/maintenance requirements for satisfying new approaches to highway safety analysis. Recent research has shown that selecting projects on the basis …

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Scale-Up And Characterization Of An Enrichment Culture For Bioaugmentation Of The P-Area Chlorinated Ethene Plume At The Savannah River Site, Ashley Eaddy Jul 2008

Scale-Up And Characterization Of An Enrichment Culture For Bioaugmentation Of The P-Area Chlorinated Ethene Plume At The Savannah River Site, Ashley Eaddy

All Theses

Bioaugmentation has become an increasingly popular remediation strategy for groundwater sites contaminated with chlorinated solvents. When biostimulation is not an option due to the lack of necessary microorganisms required for dechlorination of the contaminants, bioaugmentation is an attractive option for remediation. The P-Area groundwater plumes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are just such a case. The P-Area site is contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-dichloroethene (cDCE), and no dechlorination past cDCE is occurring. A similar site, the C-Area site, is near one of the P-Area site's source zones but displays complete reduction of TCE to ethene. …

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Analysis Of Non Load Bearing Two Component (2k) Adhesives; Under The Automotive Hemming Process Variations; Thermogravimetric, Calorimetric And Composition Analyses, Kameswara Nara Jul 2008

Analysis Of Non Load Bearing Two Component (2k) Adhesives; Under The Automotive Hemming Process Variations; Thermogravimetric, Calorimetric And Composition Analyses, Kameswara Nara

All Theses

The work focuses on the analysis of non-load bearing, two component adhesives used in joining the automotive closures. The study is concerned with the thermo-gravimetric and the calorimetric attributes of the 2K adhesive. The study includes the impact of the robotic applicators capability, in terms of the mixing ratio between the resin and the hardener, and the mechanical mixing quality. A Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) procedure analyzes the adhesive chemical groups and tracks the growth and decay of the hydroxyl and epoxy peaks. Additionally, the cure-rate based on a reaction-type, is investigated through a Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The …

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A Regularization Technique For The Analysis Of Photographic Data Used In Chemical Release Wind Measurements, Justin Ingersoll Jul 2008

A Regularization Technique For The Analysis Of Photographic Data Used In Chemical Release Wind Measurements, Justin Ingersoll

All Theses

The neutral winds are a key parameter in the electrodynamics of the ionosphere. The available techniques for measuring vertical neutral wind profiles, especially with good height resolution, are extremely limited. This is especially true with sounding rocket flights as it is not practical to take direct measurements of neutral winds with onboard instruments. Chemical releases from sounding rockets, however, allow such measurements by providing a tracer of the motion of the neutral atmosphere at altitudes in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). The resulting chemiluminescent trail is typically photographed from two or more locations to track neutral motions. Triangulation based …

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Quantitative Modeling Of Soil Properties Based On Composition And Application To Dynamic Tire Testing, Sumalatha Yaski Jul 2008

Quantitative Modeling Of Soil Properties Based On Composition And Application To Dynamic Tire Testing, Sumalatha Yaski

All Theses

A new dimension of success in automotive supply is time-based competition. This especially comes to light in tire development, with companies striving to enhance the testing methodologies for reduction in development time. Modeling and development of off-road tires is particularly difficult due to a lack of quantitative descriptions of the operating environment for model validation. Off-road tire evaluation is subjective, expensive, site dependent, and testing of such tires is typically carried out under lower levels of control. The objective of this work is to create fundamental descriptions of pertinent composition based soil properties and to directly relate these properties to …

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Microcosm Evaluation Of Vinyl Chloride Bio-Oxidation Under Anaerobic Conditions, Jessica High Jul 2008

Microcosm Evaluation Of Vinyl Chloride Bio-Oxidation Under Anaerobic Conditions, Jessica High

All Theses

The vast majority of hazardous waste sites in the US have groundwater contaminated with halogenated organic solvents, primarily tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Because the cost to remediate these sites is projected to exceed hundreds of billions of dollars, there is considerable interest in utilizing bioremediation as a low-cost remedy. Under anaerobic conditions, the best characterized biodegradation pathway for chlorinated ethenes is reductive dechlorination, whereby an electron donor such as hydrogen provides the reducing equivalents needed to replace chlorine atoms with hydrogen atoms. The ultimate daughter products from chlorinated ethenes are non-hazardous ethene and ethane, a process easily documented with …

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The Role Of Crystallographic Relationships Between Alpha(Α) And Beta(Β) Phases On The Elevated Temperature Isothermal Phase Transformation Kinetics In Timetal Lcb (Ti-6.5mo-4.5fe-1.5al), Basak Kokuoz Jul 2008

The Role Of Crystallographic Relationships Between Alpha(Α) And Beta(Β) Phases On The Elevated Temperature Isothermal Phase Transformation Kinetics In Timetal Lcb (Ti-6.5mo-4.5fe-1.5al), Basak Kokuoz

All Theses

This investigation has examined the mechanisms controlling the precipitation of various alpha (α) phase morphologies which form during the elevated temperature beta(β)beta(β)+alpha(α) phase transformations in TIMETAL LCB (Ti-6.8Mo-4.5Fe-1.5Al, in wt.%).
Alpha (α) phase precipitation was promoted by aging the TIMETAL LCB specimens in the α+β two phase region. The temperature range considered was between 700-745oC.The specimens were isothermally aged for successively increasing times, starting at 30 seconds until the equilibrium microstructure was achieved. Solution treated and aged TIMETAL LCB specimens were investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), optical (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and quantitative image …

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Estimating In-Situ Flexural Strength Of Heat-Affected Prestressed Concrete Beams Using Constituent Material Models, Travis Collins Jul 2008

Estimating In-Situ Flexural Strength Of Heat-Affected Prestressed Concrete Beams Using Constituent Material Models, Travis Collins

All Theses

When a prestressed concrete structure is subjected to a severe fire, significant damage is created to the extent that a visual analysis is sufficient in rendering the structure unusable. Although moderate fires also create structural damage, the effects can often not be visually assessed. Therefore, a need exists for a method that allows structures to be evaluated after a fire has occurred and visual observations present no conclusive evidence for making decisions regarding the structural impact of the fire on the structure.
It was assumed that temperature histories of a member arising from a moderate fire can be determined using …

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Technical Concepts Related To Conservation Of Irrigation And Rain Water In Agricultural Systems, A. J. Clemmens, R. G. Allen, Charles M. Burt Jul 2008

Technical Concepts Related To Conservation Of Irrigation And Rain Water In Agricultural Systems, A. J. Clemmens, R. G. Allen, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Forty percent of freshwater withdrawals in the United States are for irrigated agriculture, which contribute more than $50 billion to the economy. Increasing diversions of water for urban, environmental, and other uses will likely decrease water available to agriculture. Water conservation in agriculture is touted as a good method for minimizing the impact of reduced agricultural diversions on production. Because “wasted” water is often reused until it reaches the ocean, there are limitations to the true water savings that result from programs that aim to increase irrigation efficiency. True water savings can come from four areas: reduction of unnecessary evaporation …

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Preparing, Characterizing, On-Line Digital Image Processing Of Residence Time Distribution And Modeling Of Mechanical Properties Of Nanocomposite Foams, Siew-Yoong Lee Jul 2008

Preparing, Characterizing, On-Line Digital Image Processing Of Residence Time Distribution And Modeling Of Mechanical Properties Of Nanocomposite Foams, Siew-Yoong Lee

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objectives of this research were to prepare, characterize and to study the effects of organoclay and extrusion variables on the physical, mechanical, structural, thermal and functional properties of tapioca starch (TS)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanocomposite foams. On-line digital imaging processing was used to determine residence time distribution (RTD). Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was used to model the mechanical properties of nanocomposite foams.

Four different organoclays (Cloisite 10A, 25A, 93A, 15A) were used to produce nanocomposite foams by melt-intercalation. The properties were characterized using Xray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetric, and Instron universal testing machine. The properties were …

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Fish Passage At Udot Culverts: Prioritization And Assessment, Aaron Evens Beavers Jul 2008

Fish Passage At Udot Culverts: Prioritization And Assessment, Aaron Evens Beavers

Theses and Dissertations

State Departments of Transportation are becoming more involved in providing Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) at road-stream crossings. Department of Transportation (DOT) emphasis on AOP has been driven largely in response to endangered species listings, other agencies' initiatives, and the desire to restore ecosystem connectivity to watercourses. UDOT is currently responsible for approximately 47,000 culverts, but AOP is currently addressed only on an as-needed basis. Currently UDOT has no prioritization or assessment strategy procedure for AOP at UDOT road-stream crossings. Historical fish passage strategies have focused on federally listed adult anadromous salmon and trout. These are generally very large fish whose …

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Automated State Change Detection Of A Gaussian Distributed Signal, Anirudh Singh Jul 2008

Automated State Change Detection Of A Gaussian Distributed Signal, Anirudh Singh

All Theses

This work presents a novel approach to detect a change in the state of a signal. The hypothesis is that in a given state, the values of a signal vary in a sub-part of a Gaussian distribution. By modeling a signal using a sub-part of the Gaussian distribution, a quantitative value representing the state of the signal is obtained. This value is monitored with time to detect a change in the state of the signal. The proposed algorithm is implemented and tested on data obtained from a related research.

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Investigation Of A Photosynthetically Aerated Cathode In A Mfc, Derek Little Jul 2008

Investigation Of A Photosynthetically Aerated Cathode In A Mfc, Derek Little

All Theses

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) creates an environment that facilitates the conversion of electron donor compounds into electrical current through the oxidizing powers of microbial growth. Within the anode of a MFC bacteria grow oxidizing organic compounds while in the cathode oxygen is reduced. The goal of a MFC is to achieve respiration under anaerobic conditions having electrodes serve as intermediate electron acceptor for bacteria in the anode and shuttle electrons through a circuit to the cathode reducing a terminal electron acceptor.
Waste from the biological production of hydrogen from agricultural peach was explored for use within the anode of …

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Synthesis And Characterization Of Polyionic Hydrogels, Pooja Desai Jul 2008

Synthesis And Characterization Of Polyionic Hydrogels, Pooja Desai

Theses and Dissertations

In this study we describe novel polyionic dendrimer – PEG hydrogels for drug delivery. Hydrogels have a crosslinked insoluble network of polymer chains, which have found many applications including drug delivery and tissue regeneration. Dendrimers provide an ideal platform for drug delivery as they possess a well-defined highly branched nanoscale architecture with many reactive surface groups. Their highly clustered surface groups allow for targeted drug delivery and high drug payload to enhance therapeutic effectiveness. This study presented a new type of polyionic hydrogels based on dendrimers with potential applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) with various …

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The Design Of A Data Recorder To Test The Effects Of Color Contrast On 'This Side Up' Pictorial Markings On Package Orientation Within Ups Ground, Rupert Hurley Jul 2008

The Design Of A Data Recorder To Test The Effects Of Color Contrast On 'This Side Up' Pictorial Markings On Package Orientation Within Ups Ground, Rupert Hurley

All Theses

A data recorder was built and qualified to record package orientation over time. The device was then used to observe the effects on package orientation during UPS ground shipping of current and modified ASTM D5445-03 'This Side Up' symbols. Modified symbols on packages demonstrated the effects of contrasting color relationships on symbol noticeability and human compliance. Shipping trials were conducted through UPS distribution centers for cube-shaped packages equipped with custom designed tri-axial accelerometers. Data recorded on 112 shipments provide comparisons of four ASTM D5445-03 'This Side Up' symbols: unmodified, modified blue, modified 'black and white', and control (no symbol). Data …

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Three Design Tool Focused Case Studies Of Mechanical Engineering Design Projects, William Miller Jul 2008

Three Design Tool Focused Case Studies Of Mechanical Engineering Design Projects, William Miller

All Theses

Three long term mechanical engineering design projects spanning 24 months, 12 months, and 4 months are examined in this thesis. These projects are used to explore the development of a way to represent information flow throughout the design process with respect to design tools used. This is a first step in a broader effort to formalize 1) modeling of design processes, 2) establishing case study research as a formal approach to design research, and 3) developing new design process tools.
A survey of existing models compares the differences between current approaches and the limitations of each. Inspired by IDEF0, an …

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Experimental Framework For The Position Control Of Magnetic Microfibers, Sriram Ravindren Jul 2008

Experimental Framework For The Position Control Of Magnetic Microfibers, Sriram Ravindren

All Theses

Magnetic microfibers have been developed in recent years with potential applications to a large number of fields, from MEMS to microfluidics to bio-chemical analyses. Magnetic microfibers based on polymer material like polypropylene and cellulose has been developed at Clemson University that are hollow cylindrical filaments internally coated with superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This internal coating provides the fiber with magnetic properties that allow them to be externally controlled using magnetic fields from a distance. These fibers can align with the external magnetic fields under constraints imposed by elastic properties and boundary conditions. Current work in this field is primarily focused on the …

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Enhancement Of Information Management Capabilities In Mdo Framework, Santosh Hiriyannaiah Jul 2008

Enhancement Of Information Management Capabilities In Mdo Framework, Santosh Hiriyannaiah

All Theses

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) frameworks have been developed to facilitate the integration of disciplinary analysis codes and optimization techniques. Recent advances in MDO frameworks have addressed issues related to data exchange, distributed computing, process integration and trade study. However, managing, storing and sharing MDO problem information have not yet been fully addressed. In this research a software configuration is proposed. The configuration is built upon a structured repository, common file system and software applications. The configuration is integrated into a commercially available MDO framework to manage, store and share MDO problem information. A common file system proposed in this research …

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The Development Of A Computational Model Of Thrombosis In Hemodialysis Catheters, Daniel J. Lattin Jul 2008

The Development Of A Computational Model Of Thrombosis In Hemodialysis Catheters, Daniel J. Lattin

Theses and Dissertations

Thromboembolism (TE) significantly limits the usefulness and safety of blood-contacting devices such as hemodialysis catheters. Computer simulation of TE can provide understanding of the process and can facilitate the design of more effective devices. Previous work conducted at BYU successfully modeled TE in a simple, two-dimensional flow cell design by adding quantitative TE code to a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package, Fluent. This two-dimensional model predicted thrombus initiation and growth and adjusted flow to accommodate thrombus geometries, but was limited by computational power and unsophisticated meshing techniques. To build upon this work, and take advantage of BYU's new supercomputing …

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Localized Coarsening Of Conforming All-Hexahedral Meshes, Adam C. Woodbury Jul 2008

Localized Coarsening Of Conforming All-Hexahedral Meshes, Adam C. Woodbury

Theses and Dissertations

Finite element mesh adaptation methods can be used to improve the efficiency and accuracy of solutions to computational modeling problems. For many finite element modeling applications, a conforming all-hexahedral mesh is preferred. When adapting a hexahedral mesh, localized modifications that preserve topologic conformity are often desired. Effective hexahedral refinement methods that satisfy these criteria have recently become available. However, due to hexahedral mesh topology constraints, little progress has been made in the area of hexahedral coarsening. This thesis presents a new method to locally coarsen conforming all-hexahedral meshes. The method works on both structured and unstructured meshes and is not …

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Reduction Of Sink Marks In Wire Insert Molded Parts, Gauri Phadke Jul 2008

Reduction Of Sink Marks In Wire Insert Molded Parts, Gauri Phadke

All Theses

Integrating the huge wiring harness network with the plastic trim components found in the car is an attractive way to reduce the vehicle weight. When any foreign object is inserted in an injection molded part, the change in polymer cross section leads to sink marks which are aesthetic defects and are not acceptable for plastic trim components.
In this thesis, a method to minimize or eliminate sink marks for wire insert molded component using injection molding process is presented. L9 Taguchi DOE experimental framework has been employed to study the effect of process parameters, part rib geometry, and the presence …

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Assessment Of Fifth Metatarsal Etiology, Daniel Reed Jul 2008

Assessment Of Fifth Metatarsal Etiology, Daniel Reed

All Theses

The fifth metatarsal 'Jones Fracture' is a fracture that occurs 3.5cm distal to the tuberosity. It is an injury that is common in athletes, especially those who participate in sports with a lot of lateral movement. The Jones Fracture is known for its difficulty to heal due to non-union and re-fracture. There has been much research recently regarding in-shoe pressure distributions and their relation to shoe type, movement, and shoe surface interaction. However, only the forces along the bottom of the foot have been investigated. Literature and the direction of fracture seem to implicate a force on the lateral portion …

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An Investigative Study Of Patents From An Engineering Design Perspective, Ajit Singh Kanda Jul 2008

An Investigative Study Of Patents From An Engineering Design Perspective, Ajit Singh Kanda

All Theses

Preservation and reuse of valuable design experience aids in the design of new products and processes. Product design repositories are presently being used as a means to preserve and later reuse design knowledge. As such, patent databases such as the United States Patent office and the European Patent Office offer design knowledge in the form of patents. Unfortunately, these sources of novel design solutions do not appear to have been have not been effectively used in the context of engineering design.
In this research, the role of patents in a systematic design process is reviewed understand its utility in the …

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Lidar System Model For Use With Path Obscurants And Experimental Validation, J. W. Giles, I. N. Bankman, R. M. Sova, T. R. Morgan, Donald D. Duncan, J. A. Millard, W. J. Green, F. J. Marcotte Jul 2008

Lidar System Model For Use With Path Obscurants And Experimental Validation, J. W. Giles, I. N. Bankman, R. M. Sova, T. R. Morgan, Donald D. Duncan, J. A. Millard, W. J. Green, F. J. Marcotte

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

When lidar pulses travel through a short path that includes a relatively high concentration of aerosols, scattering phenomena can alter the power and temporal properties of the pulses significantly, causing undesirable effects in the received pulse. In many applications the design of the lidar transmitter and receiver must consider adverse environmental aerosol conditions to ensure the desired performance. We present an analytical model of lidar system operation when the optical path includes aerosols for use in support of instrument design, simulations, and system evaluation. The model considers an optical path terminated with a solid object, although it can also be …

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Level Spectrum Of Single Gated As Donors, Gabriel P. Lansbergen, Rajib Rahman, J. Caro, N. Collaert, S. Biesemans, Gerhard Klimeck, S. Rogge, L.C. L. Hollenberg Jul 2008

Level Spectrum Of Single Gated As Donors, Gabriel P. Lansbergen, Rajib Rahman, J. Caro, N. Collaert, S. Biesemans, Gerhard Klimeck, S. Rogge, L.C. L. Hollenberg

Other Nanotechnology Publications

We study the electrical transport through single As donors incorporated in the channel of a FinFET, i.e. a donor in a three-terminal geometry. By means of spectroscopic measurements in conjuction with a NEMO-3D model, we can identify the excited states and associate them with either the donors Coulomb potential, a triangular well at the interface or a hybridized combination of the two. The correspondence between the transport measurements, the theoretical model and the local environment provides an atomic understanding of actual gated donors in a nanostructure.

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50th Rocky Mountain Conference On Analytical Chemistry Jul 2008

50th Rocky Mountain Conference On Analytical Chemistry

Rocky Mountain Conference on Magnetic Resonance

Final program, abstracts, and information about the 50th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, co-endorsed by the Colorado Section of the American Chemical Society and the Rocky Mountain Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. Held in Breckenridge, Colorado, July 27-31, 2008.

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Design Process Modeling: Towards An Ontology Of Engineering Design Activities, Pavan Kumar Jul 2008

Design Process Modeling: Towards An Ontology Of Engineering Design Activities, Pavan Kumar

All Theses

An ontology of engineering design activities, called the Design Activity Ontology (DAO), is developed in this research. The DAO models 82 information flows and 25 design activities. These activities cover phases of the design process from conceptual phase through detail design phase. The ontology provides a formalized and structured vocabulary of design activities for consistency and exchange of design process models. The DAO enables design processes to be modeled, analyzed and optimized. The DAO is constructed using information flows identified in current design literature, commonly accepted engineering design textbooks, and an existing activity ontology. Specifically, the DAO is an extension …

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Electrokinetic Transport In Micro- And Nano- Channels:A Study Examining Electrokinetic Energy Conversion And Dielectrophoretic Particle Separation, Christian Davidson Jul 2008

Electrokinetic Transport In Micro- And Nano- Channels:A Study Examining Electrokinetic Energy Conversion And Dielectrophoretic Particle Separation, Christian Davidson

All Theses

New micro-fabrication techniques have allowed for the recent development of micro-scale lab on a chip devices which can be utilized for on chip biological analysis as well as electrokinetic energy conversion. This thesis aims to theoretically examine the current thermodynamic efficiency discrepancies in electrokinetic energy conversion devices as well as explore the potential for efficiency increase in a device which supports fluid slip. Also, a micro-fluidic lab on a chip device is fabricated and demonstrated to be capable of continuously separating multiple particles of 1μm, 5μm and 10μm out of a bulk solution. Our device employs a DC dielectrophoretic technique, …

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Risedronate Prevents Early Bone Loss Resulting From Whole-Body Irradiation, Eric Livingston Jul 2008

Risedronate Prevents Early Bone Loss Resulting From Whole-Body Irradiation, Eric Livingston

All Theses

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by a reduction in bone strength resulting in an overall increase in the risk of fracture. There are many factors that contribute to the development of this condition, including ionizing radiation exposure. Declines in bone volume and trabecular micro-architecture have been found following exposure to multiple types of radiation. Past research has implicated reduction of osteoblast function and changes to vasculature as the primary sources of bone deterioration. Recently, an early increase in osteoclast number was observed following exposure to low-energy X-rays, identifying an increase in resorption as a possible cause and potential target for …

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Fecal Coliform Source Identification Using Chemical Tracers, Nicole Fahrenfeld Jul 2008

Fecal Coliform Source Identification Using Chemical Tracers, Nicole Fahrenfeld

All Theses

Fecal sterols and fluorinated whitening agents (FWA) were used as chemical tracers for fecal coliform source tracking in Cane and Little Cane creeks in Walhalla, SC. Fecal sterols were quantifiable in both stream sediments and suspended particulates using an extraction, clean-up, and analytical method modified from Isobe et al. (2002) with a N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) derivatization scheme. Only human sterol source identification ratios were able to be calculated using the chosen sterol suite. Human fecal signatures were seen in both the sediment and the water column at various points along both creeks, indicating human fecal pollution is contributing to the fecal …

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