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2019

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Articles 61 - 90 of 108

Full-Text Articles in Other Civil and Environmental Engineering

Biomaterial Substrate Modifications That Influence Cell-Material Interactions To Prime Cellular Responses To Nonviral Gene Delivery, Amy Mantz, Angela K. Pannier Feb 2019

Biomaterial Substrate Modifications That Influence Cell-Material Interactions To Prime Cellular Responses To Nonviral Gene Delivery, Amy Mantz, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Gene delivery is the transfer of exogenous genetic material into somatic cells to modify their gene expression, with applications including tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, sensors and diagnostics, and gene therapy. Viral vectors are considered the most effective system to deliver nucleic acids, yet safety concerns and many other disadvantages have resulted in investigations into an alternative option, i.e. nonviral gene delivery. Chemical nonviral gene delivery is typically accomplished by electrostatically complexing cationic lipids or polymers with negatively charged nucleic acids. Unfortunately, nonviral gene delivery suffers from low efficiency due to barriers that impede transfection success, including intracellular processes such as …


Meaningful Learner Information For Mooc Instructors Examined Through A Contextualized Evaluation Framework, Kerrie Douglas, Mitch Zielinski, Hillary Merzdorf, Heidi Diefes-Dux, Peter Bermel Feb 2019

Meaningful Learner Information For Mooc Instructors Examined Through A Contextualized Evaluation Framework, Kerrie Douglas, Mitch Zielinski, Hillary Merzdorf, Heidi Diefes-Dux, Peter Bermel

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Improving STEM MOOC evaluation requires an understanding of the current state of STEM MOOC evaluation, as perceived by all stakeholders. To this end, we investigated what kinds of information STEM MOOC instructors currently use to evaluate their courses and what kinds of information they feel would be valuable for that purpose. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 faculty members from a variety of fields and research institutions who had taught STEM MOOCs on edX, Coursera, or Udacity. Four major themes emerged related to instructors’ desires: (1) to informally assess learners as an instructor might in a traditional classroom, (2) to …


Optimization Of The Calcium Alginate Capsules For Self-Healing Asphalt, Shi Xu, Amir Tabakovic, Xueyan Liu, Damian Palin, Erik Schlangen Jan 2019

Optimization Of The Calcium Alginate Capsules For Self-Healing Asphalt, Shi Xu, Amir Tabakovic, Xueyan Liu, Damian Palin, Erik Schlangen

Research and Innovation - Articles

Featured Application: This self-healing technology for asphalt pavements has the potential to greatly disrupt asphalt production methods (which have been stable over the past 100 years).This paper presents a development process of ‘calcium-alginate microcapsules encapsulating an asphalt bitumen rejuvenator’. The encapsulated rejuvenator is released when required (on demand) which rejuvenates the aged binder. Once crack is initiated and starts propagating it encounters a microcapsule, energy at tip of the crack opens the microcapsule, releasing the rejuvenator (healing agent). The rejuvenator will infuse into the aged binder soften it, allowing to flow, two broken edges to get into a contact and …


Commercial Water Claims: City Of London Assessment Of Claims Made By London Residents, Jonathan Abbruzzese, Yousir Aldin, Christine Eagles, Karen Lemon, Alexander Watson Jan 2019

Commercial Water Claims: City Of London Assessment Of Claims Made By London Residents, Jonathan Abbruzzese, Yousir Aldin, Christine Eagles, Karen Lemon, Alexander Watson

Community Engaged Learning Final Projects

The City of London has a mandate to provide its residents with high grade water and yet there have been complaints concerning the impurities, otherwise known as residuals, and the overall quality. This paper delves into the truth about the contents of the municipal water system and what the effects of its components are to the London populace. A public survey asked residents questions about their concerns and water drinking habits. The survey pointed to concerns about fluoride, residual chlorine and overall taste of water among others. Fluoride is known to reduce tooth decay (CDC, 2018) and any negative consequences …


A Novel Approach Towards Investigating The Performance Of Different Pvt Configurations Integrated On Test Cells: An Experimental Study, Vivek Tomar, Brian Norton, G. N. Tiwari Jan 2019

A Novel Approach Towards Investigating The Performance Of Different Pvt Configurations Integrated On Test Cells: An Experimental Study, Vivek Tomar, Brian Norton, G. N. Tiwari

Articles

This study elaborates the theoretical and experimental analysis for the effectiveness of different photovoltaic thermal (PVT) configurations along with their building implications. An experiment was performed on especially designed four identical prototype test cells emphasise the building integration photovoltaic thermal (BiPVT) systems. A comparative analysis of four different possible PVT configurations integrated on identical test cells namely; Case 1: Glass-to-glass PV with duct integrated on a test cell, Case 2: Glass-to -glass PV without duct integrated on a test cell, Case 3: Glass to tedlar PV with duct integrated on a test cell and Case 4: Glass to tedlar PV …


Free Polyethylenimine Enhances Substrate-Mediated Gene Delivery On Titanium Substrates Modified With Rgd-Functionalized Poly(Acrylic Acid) Brushes, Amy Mantz, Alice Rosenthal, Eric Farris, Tyler Kozisek, Eva Bittrich, Saghar Nazari, Eva Schubert, Mathias Schubert, Manfred Stamm, Petra Uhlmann, Angela K. Pannier Jan 2019

Free Polyethylenimine Enhances Substrate-Mediated Gene Delivery On Titanium Substrates Modified With Rgd-Functionalized Poly(Acrylic Acid) Brushes, Amy Mantz, Alice Rosenthal, Eric Farris, Tyler Kozisek, Eva Bittrich, Saghar Nazari, Eva Schubert, Mathias Schubert, Manfred Stamm, Petra Uhlmann, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Substrate mediated gene delivery (SMD) is a method of immobilizing DNA complexes to a substrate via covalent attachment or nonspecific adsorption, which allows for increased transgene expression with less DNA compared to traditional bolus delivery. It may also increase cells receptivity to transfection via cell-material interactions. Substrate modifications with poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) brushes may improve SMD by enhancing substrate interactions with DNA complexes via tailored surface chemistry and increasing cellular adhesion via moieties covalently bound to the brushes. Previously, we described a simple method to graft PAA brushes to Ti and further demonstrated conjugation of cell adhesion peptides (i.e., RGD) …


The Development Of The Infews-Er: A Virtual Resource Center For Transdisciplinary Graduate Student Training At The Nexus Of Food, Energy, And Water, Luis F. Rodriguez, Anna-Maria Marshall, Dan Cotton, Richard K. Koelsch, Jacek Koziel, Deanne Meyer, Dan Steward, Jill Heemstra, Anand Padmanabahn, John Classen, Nathan J. Meyer, Benjamin L. Ruddell, Sean M. Ryan, Ximing Cai, Emad Habib, Peter D. Saundry Jan 2019

The Development Of The Infews-Er: A Virtual Resource Center For Transdisciplinary Graduate Student Training At The Nexus Of Food, Energy, And Water, Luis F. Rodriguez, Anna-Maria Marshall, Dan Cotton, Richard K. Koelsch, Jacek Koziel, Deanne Meyer, Dan Steward, Jill Heemstra, Anand Padmanabahn, John Classen, Nathan J. Meyer, Benjamin L. Ruddell, Sean M. Ryan, Ximing Cai, Emad Habib, Peter D. Saundry

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Problems at the nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems (FEWS) are among the most complex challenges we face. Spanning simple to complex temporal, geographic, social, and political framings, the questions raised at this nexus require multidisciplinary if not transdisciplinary approaches. Answers to these questions must draw from engineering, the physical and biological sciences, and the social sciences. Practical solutions depend upon a wide community of stakeholders, including industry, policymakers, and the general public. Yet there are many obstacles to working in a transdisciplinary environment: unfamiliar concepts, specialized terminology, and countless “blind” spots. Graduate education occurs in disciplinary ‘silos’, often …


Narrow Grass Hedge Effects On Microbial Transport Following Variable Applications Of Beef Cattle Manure, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Dave B. Marx, Brian L. Woodbury Jan 2019

Narrow Grass Hedge Effects On Microbial Transport Following Variable Applications Of Beef Cattle Manure, Lisa M. Durso, John E. Gilley, Dave B. Marx, Brian L. Woodbury

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The effectiveness of a 1.4 m wide grass hedge in reducing microbial transport following manure application was examined in this study. Beef cattle manure was applied to 0.75 m wide by 4.0 m long plots established on an Aksarben silty clay loam located in southeast Nebraska. Manure was added at rates required to meet none or the 1-, 2-, or 4-year nitrogen requirements for corn. The transport of phages, total coliforms, E. coli, and enterococci was measured for three 30 min simulated rainfall events, which were separated by approximately 24 h intervals. The narrow grass hedge reduced total counts of …


Minimal Interspecies Interaction Adjustment (Miia): Inference Of Neighbor-Dependent Interactions In Microbial Communities, Hyun-Seob Song, Joon-Yong Lee, Shin Haruta, William C. Nelson, Dong-Yup Lee, Stephen R. Lindemann, Jim K. Fredrickson, Hans C. Bernstein Jan 2019

Minimal Interspecies Interaction Adjustment (Miia): Inference Of Neighbor-Dependent Interactions In Microbial Communities, Hyun-Seob Song, Joon-Yong Lee, Shin Haruta, William C. Nelson, Dong-Yup Lee, Stephen R. Lindemann, Jim K. Fredrickson, Hans C. Bernstein

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

An intriguing aspect in microbial communities is that pairwise interactions can be influenced by neighboring species. This creates context dependencies for microbial interactions that are based on the functional composition of the community. Context dependent interactions are ecologically important and clearly present in nature, yet firmly established theoretical methods are lacking from many modern computational investigations. Here, we propose a novel network inference method that enables predictions for interspecies interactions affected by shifts in community composition and species populations. Our approach first identifies interspecies interactions in binary communities, which is subsequently used as a basis to infer modulation in more …


A Machine Learning Approach For Improving Near-Real-Time Satellite-Based Rainfall Estimates By Integrating Soil Moisture, Ashish Kumar, Raaj Ramsankaran, Luca Brocca, Francisco Munoz-Arriola Jan 2019

A Machine Learning Approach For Improving Near-Real-Time Satellite-Based Rainfall Estimates By Integrating Soil Moisture, Ashish Kumar, Raaj Ramsankaran, Luca Brocca, Francisco Munoz-Arriola

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Near-real-time (NRT) satellite-based rainfall estimates (SREs) are a viable option for flood/drought monitoring. However, SREs have often been associated with complex and nonlinear errors. One way to enhance the quality of SREs is to use soil moisture information. Few studies have indicated that soil moisture information can be used to improve the quality of SREs. Nowadays, satellite-based soil moisture products are becoming available at desired spatial and temporal resolutions on an NRT basis. Hence, this study proposes an integrated approach to improve NRT SRE accuracy by combining it with NRT soil moisture through a nonlinear support vector machine-based regression (SVR) …


High-Speed, High-Frequency Ultrasound, In Utero Vector-Flow Imaging Of Mouse Embryos, Jeffrey A. Ketterling, Orlando Aristizabal, Billy Y. S. Yiu, Daniel H. Turnbull, Colin K. L. Phoon, Alfred C. H. Yu, Ronald H. Silverman Jan 2019

High-Speed, High-Frequency Ultrasound, In Utero Vector-Flow Imaging Of Mouse Embryos, Jeffrey A. Ketterling, Orlando Aristizabal, Billy Y. S. Yiu, Daniel H. Turnbull, Colin K. L. Phoon, Alfred C. H. Yu, Ronald H. Silverman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Real-time imaging of the embryonic murine cardiovascular system is challenging due to the small size of the mouse embryo and rapid heart rate. High-frequency, linear-array ultrasound systems designed for small-animal imaging provide high-frame-rate and Doppler modes but are limited in regards to the field of view that can be imaged at fine-temporal and -spatial resolution. Here, a plane-wave imaging method was used to obtain high-speed image data from in utero mouse embryos and multi-angle, vector-flow algorithms were applied to the data to provide information on blood flow patterns in major organs. An 18-MHz linear array was used to acquire plane-wave …


Factors Related To Intra-Tendinous Morphology Of Achilles Tendon In Runners, Kai-Yu Ho, Ari Baquet, Yu-Jen Chang, Lung-Chang Chien, Michelle Harty, Gregory Bashford, Kornelia Kulig Jan 2019

Factors Related To Intra-Tendinous Morphology Of Achilles Tendon In Runners, Kai-Yu Ho, Ari Baquet, Yu-Jen Chang, Lung-Chang Chien, Michelle Harty, Gregory Bashford, Kornelia Kulig

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine and explore factors (age, sex, anthropometry, running and injury/pain history, tendon gross morphology, neovascularization, ankle range of motion, and ankle plantarflexor muscle endurance) related to intra-tendinous morphological alterations of the Achilles tendon in runners. An intra-tendinous morphological change was defined as collagen fiber disorganization detected by a low peak spatial frequency radius (PSFR) obtained from spatial frequency analysis (SFA) techniques in sonography. Ninety-one runners (53 males and 38 females; 37.9 ± 11.6 years) with 8.8 ± 7.3 years of running experience participated. Height, weight, and waist and hip circumferences were recorded. Participants …


A Role For Nanoparticles In Treating Traumatic Brain Injury, Badrul Alam Bony, Forrest M. Kievit Jan 2019

A Role For Nanoparticles In Treating Traumatic Brain Injury, Badrul Alam Bony, Forrest M. Kievit

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the main causes of disability in children and young adults, as well as a significant concern for elderly individuals. Depending on the severity, TBI can have a long-term impact on the quality of life for survivors of all ages. The primary brain injury can result in severe disability or fatality, and secondary brain damage can increase the complexities in cellular, inflammatory, neurochemical, and metabolic changes in the brain, which can last decades post-injury. Thus, survival from a TBI is often accompanied by lifelong disabilities. Despite the significant morbidity, mortality, and economic loss, there …


Rapeseed Seedling Stand Counting And Seeding Performance Evaluation At Two Early Growth Stages Based On Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery, Biquan Zhao, Jian Zhang, Chenghai Yang, Guangsheng Zhou, Youchun Ding, Yeyin Shi, Dongyan Zhang, Jing Xie, Qingxi Liao Jan 2019

Rapeseed Seedling Stand Counting And Seeding Performance Evaluation At Two Early Growth Stages Based On Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery, Biquan Zhao, Jian Zhang, Chenghai Yang, Guangsheng Zhou, Youchun Ding, Yeyin Shi, Dongyan Zhang, Jing Xie, Qingxi Liao

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and image processing algorithms for field-based phenotyping offers a non-invasive and effective technology to obtain plant growth traits such as canopy cover and plant height in fields. Crop seedling stand count in early growth stages is important not only for determining plant emergence, but also for planning other related agronomic practices. The main objective of this research was to develop practical and rapid remote sensing methods for early growth stage stand counting to evaluate mechanically seeded rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) seedlings. Rapeseed was seeded in a field by three different seeding devices. A …


Time-Domain And Frequency-Domain Reflectometry Type Soil Moisture Sensor Performance And Soil Temperature Effects In Fine- And Coarse-Textured Soils, Y. Zhu, S. Irmak, A. J. Jhala, M. C. Vuran, A. Diotto Jan 2019

Time-Domain And Frequency-Domain Reflectometry Type Soil Moisture Sensor Performance And Soil Temperature Effects In Fine- And Coarse-Textured Soils, Y. Zhu, S. Irmak, A. J. Jhala, M. C. Vuran, A. Diotto

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The performances of six time-domain reflectometry (TDR) and frequency-domain reflectometry (FDR) type soil moisture sensors were investigated for measuring volumetric soil-water content (θv) in two different soil types. Soil-specific calibration equations were developed for each sensor using calibrated neutron probe-measured θv. Sensors were also investigated for their performance response in measuring θv to changes in soil temperature. The performance of all sensors was significantly different (P<0.05) than the neutron probe-measured θv, with the same sensor also exhibiting variation between soils. In the silt loam soil, the 5TE sensor had the lowest root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.041 …


Metabolic Compounds Within The Porcine Uterine Environment Are Unique To The Type Of Conceptus Present During The Early Stages Of Blastocyst Elongation, Sophie C. Walsh, Jeremy R. Miles, Linxing Yao, Corey D. Broeckling, Lea A. Rempel, Elane C. Wright-Johnson, Angela K. Pannier Jan 2019

Metabolic Compounds Within The Porcine Uterine Environment Are Unique To The Type Of Conceptus Present During The Early Stages Of Blastocyst Elongation, Sophie C. Walsh, Jeremy R. Miles, Linxing Yao, Corey D. Broeckling, Lea A. Rempel, Elane C. Wright-Johnson, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to identify metabolites within the porcine uterine milieu during the early stages of blastocyst elongation. At Days 9, 10, or 11 of gestation, reproductive tracts of White cross‐bred gilts (n = 38) were collected immediately following harvest and flushed with Roswell Park Memorial Institute‐1640 medium. Conceptus morphologies were assessed from each pregnancy and corresponding uterine flushings were assigned to one of five treatment groups based on these morphologies: (a) uniform spherical (n = 8); (b) heterogeneous spherical and ovoid (n = 8); (c) uniform ovoid (n = 8); (d) heterogeneous …


Optimization Of Process Parameters And Fermentation Strategy For Xylanase Production In A Stirred Tank Reactor Using A Mutant Aspergillus Nidulans Strain, Asmaa Abdella, Fernando Segato, Mark R. Wilkins Jan 2019

Optimization Of Process Parameters And Fermentation Strategy For Xylanase Production In A Stirred Tank Reactor Using A Mutant Aspergillus Nidulans Strain, Asmaa Abdella, Fernando Segato, Mark R. Wilkins

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The present work studied the optimization of aeration rate, agitation rate and oxygen transfer and the use of various batch fermentation strategies for xylanase production from a recombinant Aspergillus nidulans strain in a 3 L stirred tank reactor. Maximum xylanase production of 1250 U/mL with productivity of 313 U/mL/day was obtained under an aeration rate of 2 vvm and an agitation rate of 400 rpm using batch fermentation. The optimum volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kLa) for efficient xylanase production was found to be 38.6 h1. Fed batch mode and repeated batch fermentation was also performed with kLa was 38.6 h1. …


System And Method For Monitoring Pleural Fluid, Dimitrios Miserlis, Kim Cluff, Abby M. Kelly, Suzanne J. Higgins, Max H. Twedt Jan 2019

System And Method For Monitoring Pleural Fluid, Dimitrios Miserlis, Kim Cluff, Abby M. Kelly, Suzanne J. Higgins, Max H. Twedt

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The disclosure is directed to intrapleural air leak detection and monitoring. According to various embodiments of the disclosure, an air leak may be detected utilizing at least one sensor to determine whether fluid extracted from a pleural cavity of a patient includes carbon dioxide and/or a second substance. The second substance may be a foreign substance inhaled by the patient to confirm presence of the air leak. The air leak may be further monitored over a period of time by collecting temporally successive measurements associated with detected concentrations of carbon dioxide. Therefore, tissue damage and recovery may be assessed according …


Hydrogen Peroxide Sensors For Biomedical Applications, Jakob Meier, Eric M. Hofferber, Joseph A. Stapleton, Nicole M. Iverson Jan 2019

Hydrogen Peroxide Sensors For Biomedical Applications, Jakob Meier, Eric M. Hofferber, Joseph A. Stapleton, Nicole M. Iverson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important molecule within the human body, but many of its roles in physiology and pathophysiology are not well understood. To better understand the importance of H2O2 in biological systems, it is essential that researchers are able to quantify this reactive species in various settings, including in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo systems. This review covers a broad range of H2O2 sensors that have been used in biological systems, highlighting advancements that have taken place since 2015.


Grain Yield, Crop And Basal Evapotranspiration, Production Functions And Water Productivity Response Of Drought-Tolerant And Non-Drought-Tolerant Maize Hybrids Under Different Irrigation Levels, And Population Densities: Part I. In Western Nebraska's Semi-Arid Environments, Ali T. Mohammed, Suat Irmak, William Kranz, Simon Van Donk, C. Dean Yonts Jan 2019

Grain Yield, Crop And Basal Evapotranspiration, Production Functions And Water Productivity Response Of Drought-Tolerant And Non-Drought-Tolerant Maize Hybrids Under Different Irrigation Levels, And Population Densities: Part I. In Western Nebraska's Semi-Arid Environments, Ali T. Mohammed, Suat Irmak, William Kranz, Simon Van Donk, C. Dean Yonts

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Grain yield, crop evapotranspiration (ETc), basal evapotranspiration (ETb), ETc-yield production functions (ETYPF), and crop water use efficiency (CWUE) response of three drought-tolerant (DT) and one non-drought-tolerant (NDT) maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids to two plant population densities (PPDs) [84,000 plants ha-1 (high PPD) and 59,300 plants ha-1 (low PPD)] and three irrigation levels were researched at two semi-arid locations: North Platte (WCREC) and Scottsbluff (MAL), Nebraska, in 2010, 2011, and 2012. The irrigation levels were fully irrigated (FIT), early cutoff (ECOT), and rainfed (RFT). Precipitation in 2010 was above average, 2011 was a normal year, and 2012 was one of …


Grain Yield, Crop And Basal Evapotranspiration, Production Functions And Water Productivity Response Of Drought-Tolerant And Non-Drought-Tolerant Maize Hybrids Under Different Irrigation Levels, Population Densities And Environments: Part Ii. In South-Central And Northeast Nebraska's Transition Zone And Sub-Humid Environments, Suat Irmak, Ali T. Mohammed, William Kranz Jan 2019

Grain Yield, Crop And Basal Evapotranspiration, Production Functions And Water Productivity Response Of Drought-Tolerant And Non-Drought-Tolerant Maize Hybrids Under Different Irrigation Levels, Population Densities And Environments: Part Ii. In South-Central And Northeast Nebraska's Transition Zone And Sub-Humid Environments, Suat Irmak, Ali T. Mohammed, William Kranz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Information and data on newer drought-tolerant maize hybrid response to water in different climates are extremely scarce. This research quantified the performance of non-drought-tolerant (NDT) (H1) and drought-tolerant (DT) (H2, H3, and H4) maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids response to grain yield, crop evapotranspiration (ETc), basal evapotranspiration (ETb), ETc-yield production functions (ETYPF), and crop water use efficiency (CWUE) at three irrigation levels and two plant population densities (PPDs) at two locations (transition zone between sub-humid and semiarid climates at Clay Center (SCAL), Nebraska, in 2010 and 2012; and in a sub-humid climate at Concord (HAL), Nebraska, in 2010, 2011, and …


Microcontroller Based Granular Urea Application Attachment For Rice Transplanter, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Monjurul Alam, Md Mosharraf Hossain, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun Jan 2019

Microcontroller Based Granular Urea Application Attachment For Rice Transplanter, Md Towfiqur Rahman, Md Monjurul Alam, Md Mosharraf Hossain, Muhammad Rashed Al Mamun

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Transplanting and fertilizer application for rice production in Bangladesh are tedious, time consuming and laborious task, and mostly done manually. Mechanical transplanting of rice becoming popular in the country in recent years and few machines have been developed for granular urea deep placement, however, having some limitations. Placing granular urea precisely along with rice transplanting, an attempt was under taken to design and fabricate an electronic control granular urea applicator to be attach with a 4-row walk behind type rice transplanter. Fabrication of the electronic granular urea applicator was done in the workshop of the Department of Farm Power and …


Development Of Poly-Vinyl Alcohol Stabilized Silver Nanofluids For Solar Thermal Applications, James Walshe, George Amarandei, Hind Ahmed, Sarah Mccormack, John Doran Jan 2019

Development Of Poly-Vinyl Alcohol Stabilized Silver Nanofluids For Solar Thermal Applications, James Walshe, George Amarandei, Hind Ahmed, Sarah Mccormack, John Doran

Articles

Nanofluids offer the potential to address the low thermal conductivities found in conventional heat transfer fluids, through their unique electrical, optical and thermal properties, but their implementation remains restricted due to absorption and stability limitations. Here, we characterize and exploit the distinctive plasmonic properties exhibited by polyvinyl-alcohol stabilized silver nanostructures by tuning their absorption and thermal properties through controlling the nanoparticle size, morphology and particle-size distribution configuration at the synthesis stage. The photo-thermal efficiency of different water-based silver nanofluids under a standard AM1.5G weighted solar spectrum were explored, the influence of each of these components on the resulting fluids performance …


Patellar Tendon Morphology In Trans-Tibial Amputees Utilizing A Prosthesis With A Patellar-Tendonbearing Feature, Kai-Yu Ho, Michelle Harty, Jessica Kellogg, Kelly Teter, Szu-Ping Lee, Yu-Jen Chang, Gregory Bashford Jan 2019

Patellar Tendon Morphology In Trans-Tibial Amputees Utilizing A Prosthesis With A Patellar-Tendonbearing Feature, Kai-Yu Ho, Michelle Harty, Jessica Kellogg, Kelly Teter, Szu-Ping Lee, Yu-Jen Chang, Gregory Bashford

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A patellar-tendon-bearing (PTB) bar is a common design feature used in the socket of trans-tibial prostheses to place load on the pressure-tolerant tissue. As the patellar tendon in the residual limb is subjected to the perpendicular compressive force not commonly experienced in normal tendons, it is possible for tendon degeneration to occur over time. The purpose of this study was to compare patellar tendon morphology and neovascularity between the residual and intact limbs in trans-tibial amputees and healthy controls. Fifteen unilateral trans-tibial amputees who utilized a prosthesis with a PTB feature and 15 age- and sex- matched controls participated. Sonography …


Mechanical Response Of He- Implanted Amorphous Sioc/ Crystalline Fe Nanolaminates, A. Zare, Q. Su, J. Gigax, T. A. Harriman, M. Nastasi, L. Shao, D. A. Lucca Jan 2019

Mechanical Response Of He- Implanted Amorphous Sioc/ Crystalline Fe Nanolaminates, A. Zare, Q. Su, J. Gigax, T. A. Harriman, M. Nastasi, L. Shao, D. A. Lucca

Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research: Publications

This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical response of sputter-deposited amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC)/crystalline Fe nanolaminates, a single layer SiOC film, and a single layer Fe film subjected to ion implantation at room temperature to obtain a maximum He concentration of 5 at. %. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicated no evidence of implantation-induced phase transformation or layer breakdown in the nanolaminates. Implantation resulted in the formation of He bubbles and an increase in the average size of the Fe grains in the individual Fe layers of the nanolaminates and the single layer Fe film, but the bubble …


Assessing Impact And Blast Resilience Of Polymer Coated Cementitious Materials, Murtaza Nalwala, Gabriel Nsengiyumva, Yong-Rak Kim Jan 2019

Assessing Impact And Blast Resilience Of Polymer Coated Cementitious Materials, Murtaza Nalwala, Gabriel Nsengiyumva, Yong-Rak Kim

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

RESEARCH MOTIVATION: The bridge piers are highly vulnerable to the impact and blast loads. The position in which they are constructed makes it difficult to install protective devices around them. By the current AASHTO standard, it is possible to under-design bridge piers for commercial vehicle impacts and other events such as blast.

OBJECTIVE: To improve impact and blast resilience of bridge piers using polymeric coatings.

CONCLUSION • Polymer coating of Portland cement concrete can be achieved with a good bonding. • The polymeric coating seem to improve impact resilience of Portland cement concrete by increasing absorbed impact energy (i.e., area …


Passive Cooling In Non-Residential Nearly Zero Energy Buildings: A Thermal Comfort Analysis Based On Measurement, Modelling And Simulation, Adam O'Donovan Jan 2019

Passive Cooling In Non-Residential Nearly Zero Energy Buildings: A Thermal Comfort Analysis Based On Measurement, Modelling And Simulation, Adam O'Donovan

Theses

Overheating in non-residential nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs) presents a major risk to the well-being, productivity and thermal satisfaction of the people who occupy them. As global temperatures are expected to increase in the future, the overheating risk and cooling demand is also expected to increase. Therefore, low cost and low energy solutions that are able to maintain thermally comfortable conditions without the need for mechanical systems will be vital in decarbonising the building stock and ensuring that buildings are comfortable and remain low carbon now and in the future. Passive cooling has long been championed as a low cost …


Actual Evapotranspiration And Crop Coefficients Of Irrigated Lowland Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Under Semiarid Climate, Koffi Djaman, Daran R. Rudnick, Yonnelle D. Moukoumbi, Abdoulaye Sow, Suat Irmak Jan 2019

Actual Evapotranspiration And Crop Coefficients Of Irrigated Lowland Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Under Semiarid Climate, Koffi Djaman, Daran R. Rudnick, Yonnelle D. Moukoumbi, Abdoulaye Sow, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Lowland irrigated rice is the predominant crop produced in the Senegal River Valley characterized by very low annual rainfall, high temperatures, and low relative humidity. The Senegal River is shared by Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, and Guinea, and serves as the main source of irrigation water for the adopted double rice cropping system. Developing appropriate resource management strategies might be the key factor for the sustainability of rice production in the region. This study aims to estimate rice seasonal evapotranspiration (ETa), irrigation water requirement, and to develop rice growth stage specific crop coefficients (Kc) to improve rice water productivity. Field experiments …


Design Of Plant Protection Uav Variable Spray System Based On Neural Networks, Sheng Wen, Quanyong Zhang, Xuanchun Yin, Yubin Lan, Jiantao Zhang, Yufeng Ge Jan 2019

Design Of Plant Protection Uav Variable Spray System Based On Neural Networks, Sheng Wen, Quanyong Zhang, Xuanchun Yin, Yubin Lan, Jiantao Zhang, Yufeng Ge

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have rapidly emerged as a new technology in the fields of plant protection and pest control in China. Based on existing variable spray research, a plant protection UAV variable spray system integrating neural network based decision making is designed. Using the existing data on plant protection UAV operations, combined with artificial neural network (ANN) technology, an error back propagation (BP) neural network model between the factors affecting droplet deposition is trained. The factors affecting droplet deposition include ambient temperature, ambient humidity, wind speed, flight speed, flight altitude, propeller pitch, nozzles pitch and prescription value. Subsequently, …


Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Of A Camelina Sativa Spring Panel, Zinan Luo, Jordan Brock, John M. Dyer, Toni Kutchan, Daniel P. Schachtman, Megan Augustin, Yufeng Ge, Noah Fahlgren, Hussein Abdel-Haleem Jan 2019

Genetic Diversity And Population Structure Of A Camelina Sativa Spring Panel, Zinan Luo, Jordan Brock, John M. Dyer, Toni Kutchan, Daniel P. Schachtman, Megan Augustin, Yufeng Ge, Noah Fahlgren, Hussein Abdel-Haleem

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

There is a need to explore renewable alternatives (e.g., biofuels) that can produce energy sources to help reduce the reliance on fossil oils. In addition, the consumption of fossil oils adversely affects the environment and human health via the generation of waste water, greenhouse gases, and waste solids. Camelina sativa, originated from southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, is being re-embraced as an industrial oilseed crop due to its high seed oil content (36–47%) and high unsaturated fatty acid composition (>90%), which are suitable for jet fuel, biodiesel, high-value lubricants and animal feed. C. sativa’s agronomic advantages include …