Engineering Commons^™

A Micro-Nano Particle System For Sustained Drug Release In Lung Cancer Therapy, Heta N. Jadhav

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men and women worldwide (National Comprehensive Cancer Network). Hence, developing an effective new therapy to treat lung cancer is under intense investigation. Specifically, the sustained release of a drug in lung tumors is critically important. Previous studies at the USF have shown that telmisartan exhibits synergistic properties when combined with Actinomycin-D for lung cancer treatment. The objective of this study is to develop a novel micro/nano system consisting of lipids and chitosan polymers that would be able to deliver Tel directly to the lungs and release its payloads in a …

Increasing Isolation Between Closely Spaced X-Band Planar Transmit/Receive Antennas, Jacob Bartschi

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Coupling between Tx/Rx antennas is a common and much-researched problem that is especially difficult when the antennas both placed close together and on the same plane. New systems with smaller footprints require this kind of placement while still maintaining the same levels of isolation as before. Traditional solutions for coupling involve large and heavy machined parts that are unsuited to compact systems. Many techniques have been proposed over the decades, but few have been applied to X-band antennas in closely spaced configurations. This thesis investigates those techniques, applies them to closely spaced X-band antennas, and compares them to conventional methods …

Trauma Detection Personal Locator Beacon System, Sakshi Sharma

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis details the development of an automatically-activated personal locator beacon system to facilitate search and rescue of injured users in remote locations. Trauma in the wilderness can result in brain injuries caused by falling from heights, the onset of bad weather condition, cardiological, pulmonary diseased condition, etc. This thesis initially describes the concept of a low-power trauma detection Personal Locator Beacon system and later focuses on detecting the traumatic condition, through four (4) physiological parameters: skin conductance, pulse oximeter, user movement via Freefall and activity/inactivity and impact detection, and finally body temperature. For these four physiological parameters respective sensor …

Dlvo Interactions Of Janus Ellipsoids With A Planar Surface, Kailian Davis

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Application Of 3-D Printing To Multiple Sclerosis: Lesion Detection And Brain Modeling, Makenzie Fogle, Micheho Guitierrez-Carpio

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Structural And Electronic Properties Of The Pure And Stable Elemental 3d Topological Dirac Semimetal Α-Sn, Maya N. Nair, Ivan Madarevic, Umamahesh Thupakula, Gertjan Lippertz, Niels Claessens, Pin-Cheng Lin, Harsh Bana, Sara Gonzalez, Giovanni Di Santo, Luca Petaccia, Lino M.C. Pereira, Chris Van Haesendonck, Margriet J. Van Bael

Advanced Science Research Center

In-plane compressively strained α-Sn films have been theoretically predicted and experimentally proven to possess non-trivial electronic states of a 3D topological Dirac semimetal. The robustness of these states typically strongly depends on purity, homogeneity, and stability of the grown material itself. By developing a reliable fabrication process, we were able to grow pure strained α-Sn films on InSb(100), without heating the substrate during growth nor using any dopants. The α-Sn films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy, followed by experimental verification of the achieved chemical purity and structural properties of the film’s surface. Local insight into the surface morphology was …

Proper Orthogonal Decomposition And Recurrence Map For The Identification Of Spatial–Temporal Patterns In A Low-Re Wake Downstream Of Two Cylinders, Meihua Zhang, Zhongquan Charlie Zheng, Huixuan Wu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Flow decomposition methods provide systematic ways to extract the flow modes, which can be regarded as the spatial distribution of a coherent structure. They have been successfully used in the study of wake, boundary layer, and mixing. However, real flow structures also possess complex temporal patterns that can hardly be captured using the spatial modes obtained in the decomposition. In order to analyze the temporal variation of coherent structures in a complex flow field, this paper studies the recurrence in phase space to identify the pattern and classify the evolution of the flow modes. The recurrence pattern depends on the …

Erratum To “Microwave Tunneling And Robust Information Transfer Based On Parity-Time-Symmetric Absorber-Emitter Pairs”, Zhicheng Xiao, Younes Ra’Di, Sergei Tretyakov, Andrea Alù

Advanced Science Research Center

In the article titled “Microwave Tunneling and Robust Information Transfer Based on Parity-Time-Symmetric Absorber-Emitter Pairs” [1], there were errors in Figure 2 which occurred during production. In panel (c), the red line should be attributed to “Re (ZNIC/Z0)” and the blue line should be attributed to “Im (ZNIC/Z0).” In panel (d), the blue line should read “∣S 21∣ = ∣S12∣” and the black line should read “|S22|.”

Infusing Humanities In Stem Education: Student Opinions Of Disciplinary Connections In An Introductory Chemistry Course, Emily K. Faulconer, Beverly Wood, John C. Griffith

Publications

The Next Generation Science Standards and other educational reforms support the formation of deep connections across the STEM disciplines. Integrated STEM is considered as a best practice by the educational communities of the disparate disciplines. However, the integration of non-STEM disciplines is understudied and generally limited to the integration of art (STEAM). Humanistic STEM blends the study of STEM with interest in and concern for human affairs, welfare, values, or culture. This study looks at an infusion of the humanities into an online chemistry course to see if there is an influence on student connection between course content and cross-disciplinary …

Information Technology News, Georgia Southern University

Information Technology: News & Publications (2012-2023)

• 2020 Veteran Car Donations Annual Scholarship

Enhanced Fluoride Removal In Biosand Filters Using Aluminum Oxide Coated Media And Modified Filter Design, Madison Leigh Rice

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 2010, the UN formally stated that access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right. Yet, one in three people globally do not have access to safe drinking water. Contaminated drinking water can negatively impact the health of consumers. This is a challenge that disproportionally affects developing regions, where limited access to resources exacerbates the problem. One drinking water contaminant of concern is fluoride. Fluoride is often added in low concentrations to drinking water to enhance consumers’ dental health. However, when water with high concentrations of fluoride is consumed frequently, it can have negative health effects, such …

A Shape Grammars Approach To Bvlgari’Semerald Necklaces Design Language, Youssef Elrafie, Samir S. Hosny, Mohamed Eladly, Sahar Morsy

Future Engineering Journal

For more than forty years now, shape grammars have been the interest of many researchers in many domains including Paintings and Arts, Architecture, and Product Design [March, 2011]. However, by tracing the time line of shape grammars under “Product Design”, it does not show any interest in “Antiques or Vintages” as such [Chau et al. 2004]. This paper addresses shape grammars as a style generator of Bulgari’s emerald necklace designs, being considered as a vintage that bears a specific style, character and importance as a cultural symbol. The paper discusses the issue of style in design. Then it presents an …

Numerical Study Of Bolted Moment Connections In Cold-Formed Steel Frames, Mohamed El Aghoury, Essam Amoush, Mohamed Soliman

Future Engineering Journal

Bolted moment connections for cold-formed steel frames are considered very important and complicated items which need in depth studies. This paper studies the behaviour and strength of eave connections for members that consist of back to back cold-formed double channels in portal (right angle) steel frames. Relatively new configuration is suggested to facilitate the construction and reduce the cost of this type of connections. The connection is comprised of two stubs (welded built-up I shape) connected with two head plates, each stub is welded to its head plate, keeping in mind that the rafter stub is tapered I-shape. The web …

Compressive Strength Of Axially Loaded Built-Up Sigma Cold Formed Sections Columns, Mohamed El Aghoury, Maged Tawfic, Essam Amoush

Future Engineering Journal

The use of cold formed steel sections in building constructions has lately seen rapid growth due to their light weight and easier erection. Generally, lipped channel sections are used more frequently .Sigma sections while requiring more effort in fabrication, they exhibit high strength to weight ratios compared with the lipped channel sections. This work presents experimental as well as numerical study of the strength of pinned-pinned axially loaded columns utilizing sigma sections. The column section consists of two back to back sigma cold formed sections. The two sections are connected through their webs with connecting fasteners. Eight specimens with variable …

Origins Of Computational Design In Architecture, Ossama Mohamed Al-Rawi

Future Engineering Journal

The changes that the computer is bringing to architecture are one part of a revolutionary social upheaval. Tools not only change individual patterns and behaviour, but also cause transformations in institutions. Just as other tools have in the past, the computer is in the process of conditioning our understanding of the world and our perception of our place in it. The application of computers to architecture is more than anew sophisticated tool that can be manipulated like a pencil or pen. It is rather, “the culmination of the objectifying mentality of modernity and it is, therefore, inherently perspectival. The tyranny …

Review Of Living Learning Communities And Their Impact On First Year Engineering College Students, Samantha Schauer, Krishna Pakala, Kim M.B. Tucker

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Traditionally, first-year college students do not have a community of like-minded peers with whom they are able to learn. Adding to first-year engineering college students’ (FYECS) struggles is the fact that many students do not have a mentor in their related field and are unable to start building their professional repertoire, network, and/or practical skills. Living Learning Communities (LLC) can offer a platform for postsecondary institutions to increase recruitment, engagement, and sense of belonging for students who live in an LLC. LLCs have been described in the literature as themed living and learning communities where students take a common course(s), …

Composition Of Atomic-Obligation Security Policies, Yan Cao Albright

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Existing security-policy specification languages allow users to specify obligations, but open challenges remain in the composition of complex obligations, including effective approaches for resolving conflicts between policies and obligations and allowing policies to react to the obligations of other policies.

An atomic obligation requires that either all or none of the included actions are executed. Atomicity can be extended to include the decision to permit or deny an event after the obligation executes. For many practical policies, obligation atomicity is necessary for correctness. Executing only the parts of such an obligation violates its atomicity which can lead to an undesirable …

Implementation Of Large-Scale Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste At The University Of South Florida, Karamjit Panesar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food waste represents a major sustainability issue in the United States. Food waste represents 18% of landfill space and is the largest contributor of landfill methane emissions. US EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy recommends alternatives to landfilling food waste, including source reduction, food donation and anaerobic digestion.

The Student Green Energy Fund (SGEF) Food Recovery Project aims to follow suggestions outlined by the US EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy to encourage the University of South Florida (USF) to become a zero-waste campus. A multi-disciplinary approach aims to source reduce wasted food, look for opportunities for source reduction and anaerobically digest any remaining …

The Design And Development Of A Wrist-Hand Orthosis, Amber Gatto

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with an incomplete C5-C7 spinal cord injury (SCI) lose grasping abilities but wrist function is almost universally retained. Most rehabilitation techniques apply the tenodesis effect, however, current tenodesis wrist-hand orthoses (WHOs) engage only the thumb and index finger, meaning that only 20% of activities of daily living (ADLs) can be completed.

This study tested the feasibility of a student-designed powered WHO by testing the device on healthy subjects to see if they could complete a variety of ADLs. A simulation software was then used to analyze wrist, thumb, and index finger joint angles. Additionally, an Assistive Technology Survey was …

Role Of Serum Amyloid P Component In The Pathogenesis Of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Brittany Urban

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Serum amyloid P (SAP) component is a glycoprotein that is a major constituent of human serum. SAP has been recognized to stimulate amyloid fibrillogenesis. One way that SAP can be transported to the brain is by passing through the blood brain barrier (BBB). Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and repeated or severe non-penetrating head injury, can escalate the exposure of the brain to SAP, which in turn can contribute to neurodegeneration. TBI can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) which is a neuropathological condition that has been found in people who have been exposed to repeated head injuries or impacts. In …

Communicating Computing Limitations Through Kinesthetic Pedagogy, Michael Mason

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Abstract concepts, such as those in advanced Computer Science and Mathematics, can be extremely difficult to understand fundamentally without an existing background in a similar subject. Recent research has shown that raw visualizations without learner interaction are not particularly effective at communicating complex information because they allow the learner to ignore the example (Lauer 2006, Naps 2002). Forcing somebody to interact with an example ensures that they can grasp the visualization. This paper describes a six step technique to demonstrate the limitations of computing through kinesthetic pedagogy, then offers an example exercise utilizing the method. The six proposed steps are: …

Investigation Study Of A Novel Oscillating Thermo-Magneto-Electric Generator, Abdulrahman Mohammed Homadi

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, we present a unique system working as a generator that takes the advantage of waste heat dissipation from an application to generate electricity by induction. This system can be called a thermo-magneto-electric generator (TMEG), because it deals with a heat source, heat sink, and magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet (PM) and works to generate voltage by induction. The magnetic energy is the resource power of this system due to the existence of the magnetic material (ferromagnetic), and the reason of the movement is the change in the amount of magnetic energy repeated by the change …

Tunneling And Transport Properties Of Organic And Inorganic Thin Film, Farhana Anwar

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

In this article I provide a new method for computing electronic transport properties of graphene i.e. the peculiar tunneling properties of two-dimensional massless Dirac electrons. I consider a simple situation : a massless Dirac electron incident on a potential barrier which is tilted by applied bias and use finite difference method to obtain transmission probability(without involving transfer matrix). In the presence of an applied bias transmission coefficient and tunneling current were obtained and the effect of electric field which modulates the barrier profile therefore conductivity pattern were explained. Furthermore, this method can also be applied to investigate transport properties of …

Maximizing Accuracy Through Stereo Vision Camera Positioning For Automated Aerial Refueling, Kirill A. Sarantsev

Theses and Dissertations

Aerial refueling is a key component of the U.S. Air Force strategic arsenal. When two aircraft interact in an aerial refueling operation, the accuracy of relative navigation estimates are critical for the safety, accuracy and success of the mission. Automated Aerial Refueling (AAR) looks to improve the refueling process by creating a more effective system and allowing for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(s) (UAV) support. This paper considers a cooperative aerial refueling scenario where stereo cameras are used on the tanker to direct a \boom" (a large, long structure through which the fuel will ow) into a port on the receiver aircraft. …

Enhanced Nitrogen, Organic Matter And Color Removal From Landfill Leachate By Biological Treatment Processes With Biochar And Zeolite, Bisheng Gao

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Leachate percolating through landfills must be collected and properly treated. However, high concentrations of ammonia (NH4+), refractory organic matter [measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD)], water color and heavy metals in leachate interfere biological processes in conventional wastewater treatment plants. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been used in the past to treat leachate, but their design and performance has not been properly optimized. In particular, low cost adsorbent materials, such as zeolite and biochar, have the potential to adsorb ammonia and organic compounds, respectively. This increases their retention in the wetland and reduces their toxicity to microorganisms and plants in the …

Comprehensive Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (2nd-Asam) Applied To A Subcritical Experimental Reactor Physics Benchmark: Iv. Effects Of Imprecisely Known Source Parameters, Ruixian Fang, Dan Gabriel Cacuci

Faculty Publications

By applying the Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (2nd-ASAM) to the polyethylene-reflected plutonium (PERP) benchmark, this work presents results for the first- and second-order sensitivities of this benchmark’s leakage response with respect to the spontaneous fission source parameters. The numerical results obtained for these sensitivities indicate that the 1st-order relative sensitivity of the leakage response to the source parameters for the two fissionable isotopes in the benchmark are all positive, signifying that an increase in the source parameters will cause an increase in the total neutron leakage from the PERP sphere. The 1st- and 2nd-order relative sensitivities with respect to …

Porous Silica Nanotube Thin Films As Thermally Insulating Barrier Coatings, Derric B. Syme, Jason M. Lund, Brian D. Jensen, Robert C. Davis, Richard R. Vanfleet, Brian D. Iverson

Faculty Publications

The fabrication and examination of a porous silica thin film, potentially for use as an insulating thin film, were investigated. A vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) forest, created by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), was used as scaffolding to construct the porous film. Silicon was deposited on the CNT forest using low-pressure CVD (LPCVD) and then oxidized to remove the CNTs and convert the silicon to silica for electrical or thermal passivation (e.g., thermal barrier). Thermal conductivity was determined using a 1D heat-transfer analysis that equated radiative heat loss in a vacuum with conduction through the substrate and thin film stack. …

Seventh-Grade Students' Use Of Heat Transfer Conceptions During An Engineering Design-Based Stem Integration Curriculum, Emilie A. Siverling, Tamara J. Moore

Integrated Engineering Department Publications

As the integration of STEM becomes increasingly important in pre-college education, it is important to study models of STEM integration. One model, engineering design-based STEM integration, has shown promising results in terms of student science content learning. This study’s purpose was to explore one student team’s use of heat transfer conceptions as they participated in an engineering design-based STEM integration curriculum. A case study research design, along with procedures from qualitative content analysis, were used to identify scientific and alternative conceptions that the seventh-grade students communicated during the unit. The main result is that the students spoke and wrote about …

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation-Paired Rehabilitation For Oromotor Feeding Problems In Newborns: An Open-Label Pilot Study, Bashar W. Badran, Dorothea D. Jenkins, Daniel Cook, Sean Thompson, Morgan Darcy, William H. Devries, Georgia Mappin, Philipp Summers, Marom Bikson, Mark S. George

Publications and Research

Neonates born premature or who suffer brain injury at birth often have oral feeding dysfunction and do not meet oral intake requirements needed for discharge. Low oral intake volumes result in extended stays in the hospital (>2 months) and can lead to surgical implant and explant of a gastrostomy tube (G-tube). Prior work suggests pairing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with motor activity accelerates functional improvements after stroke, and transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) has emerged as promising noninvasive form of VNS. Pairing taVNS with bottle-feeding rehabilitation may improve oromotor coordination and lead to improved oral intake volumes, ultimately avoiding the …

Congratulations To College Of Engineering Researchers, Usu College Of Engineering

College of Engineering News

March 18, 2020 — The College of Engineering community extends its congratulations to the students and faculty who are recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in research.