Engineering Commons^™

Narrowband Nanocomposite Photodetector, Jinsong Huang, Fawen Guo, Liang Shen

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

A photodetector includes an anode that is transparent or partially transparent to light, a cathode and an active layer disposed between the anode and the cathode. The active layer includes a nanocomposite material that has a polymer blended with nanoparticles or organic electron trapping particles. The photodetector has a low dark current when not illuminated by light and has a high conductivity when illuminated by light, in which the light passes the anode and is absorbed by the active layer. The active layer has a thickness selected such that the photodetector has a narrowband spectral response.

Role Of Copper Oxide Layer On Pool Boiling Performance With Femtosecond Laser Processed Surfaces, Corey Kruse, Edwin Peng, Craig Zuhlke, Jeff Shield, Dennis Alexander, Sidy Ndao, George Gogos

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Copper pool boiling surfaces are tested for pool boiling enhancement due to femtosecond laser surface processing (FLSP). FLSP creates self-organized micro/nanostructures on metallic surfaces and creates highly wetting and wicking surfaces with permanent surface features. In this study two series of samples were created. The first series consists of three flat FLSP copper surfaces with varying microstructures and the second series is an open microchannel configuration with laser processing over the horizontal surfaces of the microchannels. These microchannels range in height from 125 microns to 380 microns. Each of these surfaces were tested for pool boiling performance. It was found …

The Environmental Impacts Of Alternative Food Waste Treatment Technologies In The U.S., Krista L. Thyberg, David J. Tonjes

Technology & Society Faculty Publications

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the environmental impacts of several waste treatment scenarios for a suburban New York (U.S.) municipality. The study goal was to determine if separate food waste recovery and management was environmentally sounder than waste-to-energy incineration (the baseline case). Three alternatives, enclosed tunnel composting, enclosed windrow composting, and anaerobic digestion with subsequent enclosed windrow composting of residuals, were examined considering the entire residual waste stream (not just separated food wastes). Impact categories assessed were climate change, environmental eutrophication and acidification, resource depletion, and stratospheric ozone depletion. A normalized, aggregated impact assessment was created …

Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Annual Technical Report Fy 2016, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

KWRRI Annual Technical Reports (USGS’s 104b Grant Program)

The 2016 Annual Technical Report for Kentucky consolidates reporting requirements for the Section 104(b) base grant award into a single document that includes: 1) a synopsis of each student research enhancement project that was conducted during the period, 2) citations for related publications, reports, and presentations, 3) a description of information transfer activities, 4) a summary of student support during the period, and 5) notable awards and achievements.

No funds were requested for general program administration activities. However, travel funds were provided to support the participation of the director and associate director in the annual meeting of the National Institutes …

Modified Qigong Breathing Exercise For Reducing The Sense Of Hunger On An Empty Stomach, Alexander P. Voroshilov, Alex A. Volinsky, Zhixin Wang, Elena V. Marchenko

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background: The aims of this study were to determine whether a modified Qigong breathing exercise can reduce the sense of hunger and identify possible mechanisms.

Methods: The results from the test group, which performed the exercise, are compared with the control group, which performed deep breathing. Intestinal pressure measurements, stomach pH monitoring, and participant surveys were used for assessment.

Results: Stomach pH was increased by 3 (0.2) and intestinal pressure was reduced by 12 (0.5) mm Hg in the experimental group and did not change significantly in the control group. The study provides strong evidence that the exercise can significantly …

Models For The Residual Life Of Railroad Bearing Grease In Laboratory And Industry Applications, Douglas Timmer, Constantine Tarawneh, Robert Jones

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Adequate lubrication in railroad bearings is crucial to the safe operation of these components. An investigation of the residual life of railroad bearing grease was conducted in a laboratory setting. The data was collected using a split-split-plot design of experiments. The Oxidation Induction Time (OIT), which is the time required for the remaining antioxidants in a sample of grease to be consumed in a test, is the response variable for this study. Low values of OIT indicate small remaining amounts of antioxidants in the grease and thus small remaining residual life in the grease. OIT measurements were made using differential …

Minimization Of Stack Mass In Miniature Pem Fuel Cell Systems With Dc/Dc Converters, Yijin Wei, Denise A. Mckahn

Engineering: Faculty Publications

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells have been explored as a clean battery replacement in portable and miniature applications where total system mass and specific energy density (Wh/kg) are critical design constraints. By coupling a boost (step-up) DC/DC converter with a miniature PEM fuel cell stack, the total power system mass can be reduced while providing voltage regulation capabilities not available with a fuel cell alone. This configuration is applied to the design of a controlled meteorological (CMET) balloon power system as a casestudy. In this work, we designed and tested three different micropower DC/DC boost converters that were deployed …

Modulating The Innate Immune Response To Electrospun Scaffolds And Polymer Degradative Byproducts, Daniel Abebayehu

Theses and Dissertations

Implanted biomaterials often induce inflammation that frequently leads to the foreign body response, fibrosis, and the failure of the implant. Thus, it is important to evaluate how cells interact with materials to promote a more regenerative response. It is critical to determine how to modulate the response of tissue resident innate immune cells, as they are among the first cells to interact with implanted materials. Among tissue resident innate immune cells are mast cells, which are inflammatory sentinels that degranulate and orchestrate the fate of other cell populations, such as monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes. Mast cells have also been reported to …

Manual Revision Process For Project-Based Laboratory Instruction, Gene Hou, Feifei Zhong, Orlando M. Ayala

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A four-step laboratory manual revision process was developed in this study based upon a technical writing process for supporting project-based laboratory classes. The audience and the objectives of this type of laboratory manuals are quite different from those of traditional, descriptive laboratory classes. The project-based laboratory manual has to serve as both an operational handbook and a theoretical textbook. The proposed four-step manual revision process was implemented in the fall 2016 semester in a 3-credit, senior elective class which was built upon a commercially-rated finite element analysis software package. Student surveys and evaluations showed that the revision process greatly increased …

An Integrated Curriculum For Technical Writing In Higher Education In China, Feifei Zhong, Gene Hou

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

This study aims to develop an effective curriculum plan to improve technical writing in higher education in China. The paper first investigated the deficiency in the curriculum design in China for English technical writing by comparing the required courses offered in Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) in China with those in Old Dominion University (ODU) in US. Questionnaires and interviews were then conducted among studying abroad Chinese students, visiting scholars, English as Second Language (ESL) instructors as well as engineering professors. The collected data revealed that the oversea Chinese students were struggled more with higher order concerns in writing than lower …

Performance Evaluation Of Integrated Co2 Huff-N-Puff And Wag In Low-Pressure Heterogeneous Reservoir, Hutthapong Yoosook

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The integrated CO2 Huff-n-Puff and WAG is a novel technique to combine CO2 Huff-n-Puff technique that conducted at early state and followed by WAG technique until the end of operating time. This technique is effectiveness in term of increased oil recovery and reduced CO2 utilization. However, the integrated CO2 Huff-n-Puff and WAG process contains numerous adjustable operating parameters. Hence, numerical simulation study and sensitivity analysis become essential to investigate the effects of main operational parameters and evaluate the performance of the integrated CO2 Huff-n-Puff and WAG process in low-pressure heterogeneous reservoir to achieve the maximum benefits. According to simulation results, …

Development Of Novel Electrocoagulation Reactor (Ecr) For Turbidity Removal And Decolorization From Textile Industry Wastewater, Penghour Hong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

High concentration of dyes together with turbidity were frequently found in the effluents of textile industry wastewater, which are the toxic substances. To remove these contaminants, the combination between electrocoagulation process (EC) and separation has been proposed in this study. The objective of this present work is to design and evaluate the new electrocoagulation reactor (ECR) for treating dye and turbidity from synthetic textile wastewater. The optimization of electrode configuration and design parameter were examined with the batch column reactor for containing 4 liters of wastewater. The result showed that monopolar arrangement within the inner gap 1.5 cm and current …

Effect Of Operating Conditions And Ion Contaminations On Electro Coagulation And Oxidation Processes For Water Quality Improvement, Vouchlay Theng

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of ion contaminations and operating conditions on Electro Coagulation (EC) and Oxidation (EO) in turbidity and natural organic matter (NOM) removal. The experiments were conducted in 4 liters column. Ferrous and calcium were chosen as contaminated ions. The operating condition was varied in terms of initial pH and current density. 100 NTU turbidity and 70 mg/L NOM were synthesized from bentonite and humic acid (HA), respectively. The results showed that bipolar arrangement of electrodes with 2 cm gap was the optimal condition in terms of gas flow rate and electrode …

Study Of Stability And Thermal Conductivity Of Nanoparticles In Propylene Glycol, Sumit Mahajan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This thesis studied the effects of gravity induced settling, thermophoresis and Brownian motion on the thermal conductivity of the Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) nanofluids. The base fluid was propylene glycol. The effects were studied by making three samples with volumetric percentages of 0.2 %, 2% and 3% Al2O3 in propylene glycol. Sets of 22 experiments were conducted over time to understand the behavior of settling. All samples were manually mixed each time the experiment was conducted. A Thermtest Transient Plane Source TPS 500S was used to measure the thermal conductivity. Volumetric percentages and diameters of nanoparticle were chosen so that the …

Field Characterization Of Field Capacity And Root Zone Available Water Capacity For Variable Rate Irrigation, Tsz Him Lo, Derek M. Heeren, Luciano Mateos, Joe D. Luck, Derrel L. Martin, Keith A. Miller, J. Burdette Barker, Tim M. Shaver

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Accurate spatial characterization of field capacity (FC) and root zone available water capacity (R) can enhance site-specific management practices—such as variable rate irrigation—to lower input costs, reduce contaminant leaching, and/or improve crop yield. Measuring the volumetric water content after wet soils drain following substantial precipitation can provide a field estimate of FC. The average FC (FC_a) for the managed root zone was determined at thirty-two locations in a topographically variable field in south central Nebraska. The difference between FC and permanent wilting point estimates—computed using a pedotransfer function—yielded values for R for the observation locations. Sampling locations were …

A High-Dimensional Data Quality Metric Using Pareto Optimality, Tobias Post, Thomas Wischgoll, Bernd Hamann, Hans Hagen

Computer Science and Engineering Faculty Publications

The representation of data quality within established high-dimensional data visualization techniques such as scatterplots and parallel coordinates is still an open problem. This work offers a scale-invariant measure based on Pareto optimality that is able to indicate the quality of data points with respect to the Pareto front. In cases where datasets contain noise or parameters that cannot easily be expressed or evaluated mathematically, the presented measure provides a visual encoding of the environment of a Pareto front to enable an enhanced visual inspection.

Maximizing Cache Value For Distributing Content Via Small Cells In 5g, Ibrahim Khalaf Freewan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis is to develop an algorithm for distributing content at small cells in 5G, wherein small cells (SCs) are set up instead of macro cells to serve mobile users. Users may simultaneously access between one and some maximum number of SCs, the actual number of SCs being drawn from a distribution. The source library is located away from these sites, and it stores files as a collection of RaptorQ-encoded symbols. By using RaptorQ symbols a very large number of distinct encoding symbols can be generated and a collection of received encoded symbols slightly larger than the …

Dynamic Analysis For Characterization Of Novel Biomass Based Composities, Aarsh Jigish Shah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Resources from forests constitute a significant asset of Mississippi State. Forests cover around 19.7 million acres (65%) of the total land area of Mississippi. Total annual economic impact of Mississippi’s forest products is about $17 billion. Creation of high-value products will lead to a number of economic benefits to the region. This work focuses on the study of bio-composite. Bio-composite materials are a ‘Green’ alternative to conventional materials which are readily recyclable and biodegradable. Taylor made properties are achievable in bio-composites, this being one of the significant advantages. Producing biodegradable products has become a necessity due to petroleum-based products being …

Voltage Regulation Of Low Voltage Distribution Networks, Manisha Maharjan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The modern voltage distribution systems consist of distributed generation (DG), like photovoltaics (PV) and wind. These resources are inexhaustible and environmentally friendly. The existing low voltage (LV) distribution networks are typically designed for unidirectional power flow. The integration of DG makes the LV distribution networks prone to difficulties related to voltage, frequency, and power quality. The main challenges in the integration of DG occur due to the intermittent nature of DG. The amount of DG compared with the total generation resource on a power system network is measured as penetration. The system undergoes through reverse power flow when there is …

A Dynamic Scaling Methodology For Improving Performance Of Big Data Systems, Nashmiah Alhamdawi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The continuous growth of data volume in various fields such as, healthcare, sciences, economics, and business has caused an overwhelming flow of data in the last decade. The overwhelming flow of data has raised challenges in processing, analyzing, and storing data, which lead many systems to face an issue in performance. Poor performance of systems creates negative impact such as delays, unprocessed data, and increasing response time. Processing huge amounts of data demands a powerful computational infrastructure to ensure that data processing and analysis success [7]. However, the architectures of these systems are not suitable to process that quantity of …

Unlv Title Iii Aanapisi & Mcnair Scholars Institute Research Journal, Nir Herscovici, Joyce Hsu, Matthew Khumnark, Joy Lamug, Jeong Lim Lee, Kendall Lyons, Andrea Mandril, Niroshini Moodley, Eric Ng, Timothy Ogburn, Andrew A. Ortiz, Emily Khanh Pham, Nha Trang Vivian Sam, Devlynn Scarpati, Olivia Tsang, Termaine Antonio Turner Ii, Pang Kou Vang, Kanisha Wilson, Shannon Zayas, Claudia Chiang-Lopez, Victoria Copeland, Andrea Darby, Bridgett Giordmaina, Briceida Hernandez-Toledo, Mark Larubio, Ana Lesquives, Yessenia Madrigal, Summer Millwood, Angel Mims, Blaine Pennock, Katie Randolph, Amber K. Stephens, Sarah Werman, Eben-Ezer Arias-Garcia, Ernesto H. Bedoy, Royale Cannon, Irma De Santiago, Lorraine Louise K. Francisco, Imani A. Gayden, Jeffrey Gonzalez, Isaiah Shornell Henry, Ashley C. Lee, Marielle Leo, Elizabeth Ochoa, Bernajane Palisoc, Sean Tanzey, Howard Yanxon

McNair Journal

Journal articles based on research conducted by undergraduate students in the AANAPISI and McNair Scholars Programs

Table of Contents

About AANAPISI

Biography of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Statements

Dr. Len Jessup, UNLV President

Dr. Juanita P. Fain, Vice President for Student Affairs

Dr. William W. Sullivan, Associate Vice President for Retention and Outreach

Mr. Keith Rogers, Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Academic Enrichment and Outreach

Title III AANAPISI and McNair Scholars Institute Staff

Ms. Terri Bernstein, Director for College Programs

Dr. Matthew Della Sala, Assistant Director for Undergraduate Research

Availability Of Datasets For Digital Forensics–And What Is Missing, Cinthya Grajeda, Frank Breitinger, Ibrahim Baggili

Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications

This paper targets two main goals. First, we want to provide an overview of available datasets that can be used by researchers and where to find them. Second, we want to stress the importance of sharing datasets to allow researchers to replicate results and improve the state of the art. To answer the first goal, we analyzed 715 peer-reviewed research articles from 2010 to 2015 with focus and relevance to digital forensics to see what datasets are available and focused on three major aspects: (1) the origin of the dataset (e.g., real world vs. synthetic), (2) if datasets were released …

Regulation Of The Expression And Activity Of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 3 (Erk3), Lobna Elkhadragy

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are Ser/Thr kinases that regulate diverse cellular processes. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical MAPK that has recently gained interest for its roles in cancer. ERK3 promotes cancer cell migration, invasion and drug resistance, and its expression is upregulated in multiple cancers. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate ERK3’s expression and kinase activity. Here, we have identified the oncogenic polycomb group protein BMI1 as a positive regulator of ERK3 level in cancer cells. Mechanistically, BMI1 upregulates ERK3 expression by inhibiting the expression of the tumor suppressor microRNA (miRNA) let-7i, which …

Glycolytic Metabolism And Pregnancy Parameters In The Murine Placenta, Renee Elizabeth Albers

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The placenta is a complex and essential organ composed largely of fetal-derived cells, including several different trophoblast subtypes that work in unison to support nutrient transport to the fetus during pregnancy. Abnormal placental development can lead to pregnancy-associated disorders that often involve metabolic dysfunction. The scope of dysregulated metabolism during placental development may not be fully representative of the in vivo state in defined culture systems, such as cell lines or isolated primary cells. Thus, assessing metabolic function in intact placental tissue would provide a better assessment of placental metabolism. In this study, we describe a methodology for assaying glycolytic …

Phospholipase D: Key Player In Macrophage-Mediated Inflammation And Resolution, Ramya Ganesan

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Phospholipase D (PLD) is a cell membrane remodeling and signaling protein implicated in the pathology of chronic inflammation. As PLD is also central to macrophage cell migration, we investigated the molecular basis of PLD's involvement and regulation in macrophage-initiated inflammation (atherosclerosis) and resolution. We have found that PLD is associated with signaling proteins and positively affects cell movement, phagocytosis and NADPH-initiated release of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). We found that PLD2 but not PLD1 is important for foam cell formation that causes atherogenesis. We have also found a novel way of inducing macrophage class-switch (polarization) by PLD overexpression. PLD induces …

Proteomic Analysis Of Ischemic Stroke Blood Biomarkers, April Arnold Daubenspeck

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Stroke is a global burden that claims 6 million lives and permanently disables another 5 million each year. The risk of morbidity and mortality following stroke decreases when early diagnosis and treatment are achieved. However there is no blood test to diagnose ischemic stroke because biomarkers to date have not shown adequate sensitivity and specificity to be adopted into hospital protocols. The overall objective of this dissertation was to identify novel blood protein biomarkers of ischemic stroke. We achieved this by using a number of proteomic and statistical techniques to investigate the differential abundance of proteins in the blood of …

Making Meaning: Shifts In Meaningfulness Across Three Modeling Units, Jeannette Manger

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Recent reform calls for a more comprehensive approach to science education that positions learners as constructors of knowledge via scientific practices (NRC, 2012; Osborne, 2014). This 'practice turn' shifts from passive science learning to incorporating science actions with epistemic thinking (Duschl & Grandy, 2013; Ford & Forman, 2006; Osborne, 2014; Shouse, Schweingruber, & Duschl, 2007). Teachers are often underprepared in understanding the nuances of scientific practices, and frequently struggle with supporting students in meaningful practice engagement (Abd-El-Khalick & Akerson, 2004; Crawford, 1999; Davis, Petish, & Smithey, 2006; Duschl & Gitomer, 1997). Here, I draw upon the Berland et al. Epistemologies …

Autocatalytic Pyrolysis Of Wastewater Biosolids For Product Upgrading, Zhongzhe Liu, Patrick J. Mcnamara, Daniel Zitomer

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The main goals for sustainable water resource recovery include maximizing energy generation, minimizing adverse environmental impacts, and recovering beneficial resources. Wastewater biosolids pyrolysis is a promising technology that could help facilities reach these goals because it produces biochar that is a valuable soil amendment as well as bio-oil and pyrolysis gas (py-gas) that can be used for energy. The raw bio-oil, however, is corrosive; therefore, employing it as fuel is challenging using standard equipment. A novel pyrolysis process using wastewater biosolids-derived biochar (WB-biochar) as a catalyst was investigated to decrease bio-oil and increase py-gas yield for easier energy recovery. WB-biochar …

Evaluation Of Career Readiness At An Industrial Technology Program Using A Fuzzy Approach, Ahmed Deif, Cameron Stark, Kathryn Butler, Eric Olsen

Industrial Technology and Packaging

In this research, a quantitative model to measure the “career readiness” performance level of the current curriculum of the Industrial Technology and Packaging program at California Polytechnic State University is proposed. Career readiness is first defined through performance attributes and these attributes are further classified into specific categories and metrics. Using a fuzzy logic computational approach, “career readiness” measures are developed and a “career readiness” score referred to as (CRS) is calculated. The model is designed to be flexible, dynamic and easy to use. It should enable a systematic measurement of career readiness by producing a final integrated unit-less score. …

Insights On Lean Gamifications For Higher Education, Ahmed Deif

Industrial Technology and Packaging

Purpose

There is no argument that using games (gamification) is an efficient way of learning in higher education. The questions, though, are which gamification approach is most suitable at that level and how to assess its suitability? This paper aims to attempt to partially answer these two questions, in the context of lean thinking education.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper offers an assessment criteria to investigate the impact of lean gamification based on the evaluation of motivational, cognitive and social processing during games. In addition, a study is conducted among selected games using these assessment criteria. The study included statistical as well …