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Title: DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH ANGULAR RESOLUTION DIFFUSION IMAGING TEMPLATE AND PROBABILISTIC CONNECTIVITY-BASED ATLAS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN
Creator: Varentsova, Anna
Date: 2016, 2016-05
Description: Digital human brain atlases consisting of MRI-based templates and semantic labels delineating different brain regions serve a critical role in...
Show moreDigital human brain atlases consisting of MRI-based templates and semantic labels delineating different brain regions serve a critical role in neuroimaging, mainly facilitating spatial normalization and automated segmentation for the purposes of voxel-wise, region-of-interest, and network analyses. Diffusion MRI templates contain rich information about the microstructure of the brain, however the accuracy of templates constructed based on the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) model is limited in regions with complex neuronal microarchitecture. High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) overcomes limitations of the DTI model and is capable of resolving intravoxel heterogeneity. In this work a method to develop artifact-free HARDI template of the human brain from low angular resolution data is presented. Existing white matter (WM) atlases have been generated either based on anatomical landmarks, thus mixing tracts with substantially different roles, or using DTI tractography, which fails in regions with crossing fibers. Connectivity-based atlases developed using HARDI templates and probabilistic tractography have potential to identify functionally distinct subregions of the brain. This work presents connectivity-based atlas of human brain WM created using HARDI template in ICBM-152 space and a set of FreeSurfer grey matter labels.
Ph.D. in Physics, May 2016
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Title: Screech Tones of Supersonic Jets from Bevelled Rectangular Nozzles
Creator: Tam, Ckw, Shen, H., Raman, G.
Date: 1997-07
Publisher: American Inst Aeronaut Astronaut
Description: It is known experimentally that an imperfectly expanded rectangular jet from a thin-lip convergent nozzle emits only a single dominant screech...
Show moreIt is known experimentally that an imperfectly expanded rectangular jet from a thin-lip convergent nozzle emits only a single dominant screech tone. The frequency of the screech tone decreases continuously with an increase in jet Mach number. However, for a supersonic jet issued from a bevelled nozzle or a convergent-divergent nozzle with straight side walls, the shock cell structure and the screech frequency pattern are fairly complicated and have not been predicted before. It is shown that the shock cell structures of these jets can be decomposed into waveguide modes of the jet flow. The screech frequencies are related to the higher-order waveguide modes following the weakest link screech tone theory. The measured screech frequencies are found to compare web with the predicted screech frequency curves.
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Title: Gerry-meandering: An Assessment of the Congressional District Model of Depository Allocation (preprint): AhrensGriffinedrev2
Creator: Ahrens, Aric G., Griffin, Luke A.
Date: 2003-06
Description: The preprint of a published article dealing with the effect of allocating Federal Depositories by Congressional district. Conclusions drawn...
Show moreThe preprint of a published article dealing with the effect of allocating Federal Depositories by Congressional district. Conclusions drawn include the fact that due to redistricting that occurs after each decennial census, over time some districts may have within their boundaries a greater number than the two depositories that Congressional district allocation was intended to produce. Likewise, over time shifting boundaries of districts have created districts that have no depositories whatsoever.
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Title: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY, TIME-RESOLVED OBSERVATION, AND ANALYSIS OF NANOSECOND LASER ABLATION AND LASER-INDUCED PLASMA
Creator: Zhou, Yun
Date: 2013, 2013-05
Description: For lasers, there exist many current and potential competitive applications in the areas of manufacturing, materials processing, and so on....
Show moreFor lasers, there exist many current and potential competitive applications in the areas of manufacturing, materials processing, and so on. Nanosecond (ns)-pulsed lasers are often seen in these applications. This dissertation presents the experimental study, time-resolved observation and analysis of nanosecond laser ablation and laser-induced plasma due to ablation, and the analysis is based on physics-based numerical models. Specifically, the following topics have been studied: (1). Plasma induced by ablation using long-duration nanosecond laser pulse Plasma is often produced in laser-material interactions, and may play an important role in many laser-based or laser-assisted technologies, such as laser shock peening (LSP), laser micromachining (through the laser ablation process), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and laser propulsion, etc. However, despite the previous work in the literature, the study is still limited for the plasma induced by the ablation process using long nanosecond laser pulses (with durations on the order of ~100 ns). In this dissertation, investigations have been performed on this kind of plasma through fast photography (imaging) and emission spectroscopy techniques, and the experimental results have been analyzed using physics-based computational models. Based on the investigations, the following major interesting findings have been obtained under the investigated conditions: (i) Two high radiation intensity regions are observed in the plasma, and one of them disappears soon after laser pulse ends. The research work shows that this phenomenon is related to the vaporization process from the target surface and the confinement effect of the ambient air. (ii) Laser-induced plasma xvii backward growth phenomenon occurs for target ablation using 100-ns laser pulses, but not for that using 200-ns pulses. The investigation shows that the underlying mechanism is the backward growth of the boundary of the high temperature region without actual backward motion of vapor material. (iii) Under the studied conditions, the core region of the plasma (~100 μm above the laser-ablated target) has relatively low temperatures as compared to some other regions of the plasma, which contradicts the common intuition. (2). Semiconductor ablation utilizing infrared (IR) nanosecond laser pulses Semiconductor micromachining through laser ablation may have the advantages of high spatial resolution, high processing efficiency, good flexibility, and no tool wear. However, most of the prior investigations in the literature on ns laser ablation of semiconductors often employ lasers at the ultraviolet (UV) or visible wavelength. The work using IR ns lasers is limited, but IR ns lasers may often have lower cost and require less external energy consumption to produce the same average laser power output. In this dissertation, the ablation of semiconductors using IR ns lasers has been studied through time-resolved observations (fast photography) and the results have been analyzed utilizing physics-based numerical models. The research work shows that the ablation mechanism under the studied conditions is the surface vaporization process during the early stage followed by the subsequent liquid ejection process that occurs at a later time. The research work and analysis shows that the underlying mechanism for the observed liquid ejection should be due to the spatial gradient of the pressure exerted on the target surface, instead of phase explosion. (3). Laser-induced backside ablation (LIBA) of sapphire with IR ns laser pulses xviii LIBA may potentially provide a good solution for high-quality and highefficiency micromachining of wide-band-gap dielectrics (WBGD). However, the prior work on LIBA of sapphire (which is a very important WBGD material) using low-cost IR ns lasers has been rarely reported. This kind of work has been carried out in this dissertation, and the investigation shows that under the studied conditions LIBA can produce very high material removal efficiency and reasonably good quality of machining without obvious chemical contamination coming from the employed backing layer. The ablation rate and damage threshold are measured under different laser parameters, and the research work may provide useful information for the applications of LIBA in practical areas using IR ns lasers that may often have relatively lower cost than UV or visible ns lasers.
PH.D in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, May 2013
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Title: The yield of acetic acid as influenced by temperature in wood distillation
Creator: Marx, Walter L.
Date: 2009, 1913
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/yieldofaceticaci00marx
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology; Bibliography: leaf 22

Title: FIELD AND PHOTO-EMISSION IN A SHORT-PULSE, HIGH-CHARGE CESIUM TELLURIDE RF PHOTOINJECTOR
Creator: Wisniewski, Eric E.
Date: 2014, 2014-05
Description: A new high-charge RF gun is now operating at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facility at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The 1.5...
Show moreA new high-charge RF gun is now operating at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facility at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The 1.5 cell 1.3 GHz gun uses a Cesium telluride photocathode driven with a 248 nm laser to provide short-pulse, high charge electron beams for the new 75 MeV drive beamline. The high-gradient RF gun (peak field on the cathode > 80MV/m) is a key piece of the facility upgrade. The large Cs2Te photocathode (diameter > 30 mm) was fabricated in-house. The photo-injector will be used to generate high-charge, short pulse, single bunches (Q > 100 nC) and bunch-trains (Q>1000 nC) for wakefield experiments, typically involving dielectric-loaded accelerating structures. Details of the photocathode fabrication process and the results of associated diagnostic measurements are presented, including QE measurements and work function measurements performed with a Kelvin probe. Field-emitted dark current from the Cs2Te cathode was measured during RF conditioning and characterized. Fowler-Nordheim plots of the data are presented and compared to similar measurements made using a copper cathode in the initial phase of conditioning. The results for cesium telluride exhibited non-linear regions within the Fowler-Nordheim plots similar to previous experimental results for other p-type semiconductors. Results of quantum efficiency (QE) studies are presented with the cathode operating in both single and bunch-train modes. QE uniformity and lifetime studies are presented. During commissioning, the cesium telluride photocathode produced bunch-charge of 100 nC, breaking the previous record. No evidence of bunch-train position-dependence of QE was found when generating four-bunch trains with total charge up to 200 nC.
PH.D in Physics, May 2014
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Title: SAFETY TRAINING IN CONSTRUCTION
Creator: Demirkesen, Sevilay
Date: 2011-11-29, 2011-12
Description: The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries. Therefore, the ways to reduce the number of risks have been a concern for...
Show moreThe construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries. Therefore, the ways to reduce the number of risks have been a concern for construction companies. Safety training is considered as one of the most efficient ways of improving safety record. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the best safety training methods and the most efficient organization in safety training. The study also aimed to show how to take best safety measures to protect construction workers. In this thesis study, a questionnaire was conducted in order to investigate the achievement of safety learning, challenges in a safety training program and the methods of improving safety record. Thus, the questionnaire was e-mailed to 400 contractors in US. The data collected also indicated the importance of safety training in companies’ success in the industry. Additionally, this study presents recommendations on how companies could improve their safety record.
M.S. in Civil Engineering, December 2011
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Title: IN VITRO ASSAYS FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF PROCESSING ON THE ALLERGENIC POTENTIAL OF MILK ALLERGENS
Creator: Zhao, Yuhui
Date: 2014, 2014-07
Description: A better understanding of how processing may affect the allergenicity of proteins will allow a more accurate allergen risk assessment and...
Show moreA better understanding of how processing may affect the allergenicity of proteins will allow a more accurate allergen risk assessment and achieve a greater success in food allergy management. To determine whether food processing can affect the allergenic potential of proteins, immunochemical methods are commonly used, however, these methods are not able to determine changes in the proteins’ ability to elicit allergic reactions. Although food challenge studies are the gold standard for determining the allergenicity of proteins, such studies are seldom performed due to ethical reasons and the difficulty in recruiting a sufficient number of study participants. In recent years, a number of mediator release assays have been developed to measure the allergenic potential of food proteins in vitro. How these cell-based assays can be used to assess the impact of thermal or other processing conditions on the allergenic potential of proteins remains to be determined. This study evaluated the use of sensitized rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells for assessing the impact of boiling on the allergenic potential of milk allergens by measuring changes in the proteins’ ability to induce cell degranulation and the release of β-hexosaminidase. RBL-2H3 cells sensitized with rat IgEs that were specifically raised against NIST non-fat milk standard reference material, β-lactoglobulin (BLG), α-lactalbumin (ALA) and α-casein (αCAS) were challenged with various concentrations of each allergen in its native and processed (boiled in PBS for 10 min) forms. Cell degranulation caused by the allergen was monitored by measuring the release of β-hexosaminidase. All allergens (NIST milk, BLG, ALA, and αCAS) were able to induce the release of β-hexosaminidase, up to 43.1%. A decrease in % release of β-hexosaminidase was observed when cells were challenged with a decreasing concenration xi of the ALA and milk allergens. Boiling of nonfat milk, ALA, BLG and αCAS caused an increase in the % release of β-hexosaminidase from sensitized cells across antigen concentrations from 10-6 mg/mL to 1 mg/mL. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the in vitro mediator release assay method may serve as a useful model to evaluate the impact of thermal processing on the allergenic potential of milk allergens.
M.S. in Food Safety and Technology, July 2014
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Title: Gerry-meandering: An Assessment of the Congressional District Model of Depository Allocation (preprint)
Creator: Ahrens, Aric G., Griffin, Luke A.
Date: 2003-06
Description: The preprint of a published article dealing with the effect of allocating Federal Depositories by Congressional district. Conclusions drawn...
Show moreThe preprint of a published article dealing with the effect of allocating Federal Depositories by Congressional district. Conclusions drawn include the fact that due to redistricting that occurs after each decennial census, over time some districts may have within their boundaries a greater number than the two depositories that Congressional district allocation was intended to produce. Likewise, over time shifting boundaries of districts have created districts that have no depositories whatsoever.
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Title: Financial Incubators, India: presentation 26 april
Creator: Shah, Shruti
Date: 2010-05-01, 2010-05

Title: MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL) DIACRYLATE HYDROGEL SYNTHESIS VIA VISIBLE LIGHT FREE-RADICAL PHOTOPOLYMERIZATION FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS
Creator: Lee, Chu-yi
Date: 2013, 2013-05
Description: Crosslinked hydrogels of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) have been extensively used as scaffolds for applications in tissue...
Show moreCrosslinked hydrogels of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) have been extensively used as scaffolds for applications in tissue engineering. In this thesis, PEGDA hydrogels are synthesized using visible light free-radical photopolymeriza- tion (λ = 514 nm) in the presence of the visible light photosensitive dye, EosinY, the co-initiator, triethanolamine (TEA), a comonomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), a crosslinking agent, PEGDA, and an optional PEG monoacrylate monomer that contains the cell adhesive ligand YRGDS. The incorporation level of the YRGDS lig- and as well as the physical and mechanical properties of these hydrogels dictate cell behavior and tissue regeneration. These hydrogel properties may be tuned through variations in polymerization conditions. The goal of this thesis was to develop a math- ematical model for PEGDA hydrogel formation which predicts the incorporation level of YRGDS and the crosslink density of hydrogel as a variety of polymerization con- ditions. This model provides insight into the process of hydrogel crosslinking and in effectively guiding the experimental design of these scaffolds for tissue engineering applications. To accomplish this task two major components comprised the studies of this thesis. The first component involved an investigation of the visible light photo- initiation mechanism of EosinY and TEA, and the second component involved the develop of a hydrogel synthesis model and its validation. Experiments and modeling were used to determine an expression for the rate of initiation of the EosinY/TEA initiation system and to propose a photoinitiation mechanism. In Chapter 2, exper- imental data and parameter fitting were utilized to obtain an empirical expression for the rate of initiation. However, this empirical expression did not consider the ef- fect of inhomogeneous light distribution which is present in this experimental system. The dynamics of light absorption during polymerization were measured under differ- xiv ent conditions in order to gain insight into the kinetic photoinitiation mechanism as well as the rate of initiation. In Chapter 3, a mechanism for this photo-initiation was proposed. Using this mechanism the light absorption dynamics accounting for inhomogeneous light distribution were simulated which were found to be in an agree- ment with the light absorption measurements shown in Chapter 2. Further validation of this proposed mechanism was achieved from polyNVP conversion measurements. This photo-initiation mechanism was implemented in the hydrogel model. In Chapter 4, the hydrogel synthesis model was developed based on the kinetic approach of the method of moments combined with the Numerical Fractionation technique. The model was used to predict the dynamics of hydrogel properties such as gel fraction, crosslink density, and RGD incorporation under various polymerization conditions. Model predictions were compared with experimental data. Three sets of experiments were conducted. In the first set of experiments where hydrogels were formed in the absence of Acryl-PEG-RGD, the total double bond concentration was kept constant while varying the compositions of NVP and PEGDA. The model and the experiments showed a maximum crosslink density for an acrylate to double bond ratio of 0.5 to 0.6. This is related to the synergistic cross-propagation between NVP and PEGDA, which results in an increase in the rate of polymerization leading to higher crosslink density. In the second set of experiments, hydrogels were formed in the presence of Acryl-PEG-RGD to investigate its incorporation as well as the hydrogel crosslink density. The model showed reasonable agreement with the experimental data and in some cases the predicted RGD deviated from the experimental measurements due to changes in volume upon swelling. The effect of swelling was not considered by the model. The calculated crosslink densities were compared with the inverse swelling ratios from the experiments. The reduction of free volume due to the space occupied xv by the unreacted pendant double bonds was not considered by the model. This reduc- tion of free volume affected the apparent swelling ratio obtained from experiments thus resulting in the observed mismatch between the experimental trends and the predicted crosslink density by the model. In the third set of experiments, additional crosslink density measurements were conducted using a PEGDA macromer of lower molecular weight (MW = 575 Da.). The experiments were performed in the absence of Acryl-PEG-RGD. Few cases were not accurately predicted since the model did not consider the reduction in the concentration of available pendant double bonds when gelation occurs. Among the three set of experiments, the hydrogel synthesis model offers reasonable predictions for most of the experimental cases. This model can be used as a guide for experimen- tally designing PEGDA hydrogels with the desired properties for tissue engineering applications.
PH.D in Chemical and Biological Engineering, May 2013
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Title: FINFET BASED STANDARD CELL LIBRARY CHARACTERIZATION
Creator: Yuan, Yu
Date: 2015, 2015-07
Description: In this work, four standard cell libraries based on FinFET technology have been characterized and implemented. The first library uses the BSIM...
Show moreIn this work, four standard cell libraries based on FinFET technology have been characterized and implemented. The first library uses the BSIM-CMG and PTM-MG models, which represents the common multi-gate devices. Two libraries are based on the BSIM-IMG model, operating in short-gate (corresponding to low-Vt) mode and lowpower (corresponding to high-Vt) mode separately. Synthesis and simulation of BSIMCMG based library is presented and compared to the conventional 45nm CMOS library, FreePDK45. The results show acceptable accuracy of the library based on BSIM-CMG model. For the libraries based on BSIM-IMG model, Short-Gate (SG) mode, Low-Power (LP) mode and the mixed-mode (combining both SG and LP modes) have been analyzed. The results proved that the low-power independent multi-gate FinFET can be used for leakage power reduction, just like the bulk CMOS high-Vt devices. At the end of this work, another library based on CCS model was characterized and verified, which show far better accuracy in terms of both timing and power modeling.
M.S. in Electrical Engineering, July 2015
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Title: PREPARATION FOR IMPLANTATION OF AN INTRACORTICAL VISUAL PROSTTIESIS IN A HUMAN: WORKING TOWARDS SATURATION
Creator: Troyk, Melissa J
Date: 2017, 2017-07
Description: The research focused on restoring visual perception via a vision prosthetic is progressing at a rapidly advancing rate. Previous research on...
Show moreThe research focused on restoring visual perception via a vision prosthetic is progressing at a rapidly advancing rate. Previous research on the experiences and perspectives of past, current, and potential vision prosthesis users has demonstrated that the decision to obtain a vision prosthetic is driven by a variety of unique factors and variables that merge with one another during the process of deciding to participate in clinical vision prosthesis research (Lane, Huyck, Troyk, & Schug, 2012; Lane, Nitsch, Huyck, Troyk, & Schug, 2014; Lane, Nitsch, & Troyk, 2015). The purpose of the current study was twofold: 1) to determine if our understanding of the experiences and perspectives of potential vision prosthesis users was nearing saturation, and 2) to understand the perspectives of potential vision prosthesis users who are veterans. Data were analyzed in accordance with qualitative analysis procedures. Results identified several new themes and subthemes that were determined to be important to our understanding of potential users’ perspectives of an intracortical vision prosthesis device. A preliminary framework is proposed for understanding how the identified themes and subthemes merge during the process of deciding to participate in an experimental vision prosthesis human clinical trial. The results demonstrated that while progress has been made, there is still more to learn about blind individuals’ perspectives of vision prostheses and how they would decide to participate in vision prosthesis research.
M.S. in Psychology, July 2017
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Title: PROPOSITION AND EVALUATION OF A NEW DAMPER, CALLED ROTATIONAL CYLINDRICAL FRICTION DAMPER (RCFD)
Creator: Divani, Abbass
Date: 2013, 2013-12
Description: The objective of this study is to propose and evaluate an innovative frictional damper for structural systems, called Rotational Cylindrical...
Show moreThe objective of this study is to propose and evaluate an innovative frictional damper for structural systems, called Rotational Cylindrical Friction Damper (RCFD), which does not bear limitation of previously proposed systems and yet maintains their advantages. Different kinds of energy dissipaters have been studied and used in structural systems in recent years. They perform more effectively compared to structures without any energy dissipater. Each of previously employed devices has its advantages and limitations. In this report, applicability of previous energy dissipaters will be investigated; then the proposed damper, RCFD, will be introduced, and the performance of RCFD will be evaluated under lateral load using ABAQUS software. RCFD consists of a shaft, a cylinder and proper assembly of braces so that the bracing members make the cylinder and shaft move in opposite circular directions under defined load. The assemblage of braces depends on type of bracing system that is employed. When load in bracing member exceeds the buckling load of the member, it overcomes the friction between the shaft and inner surface of the cylinder and while providing the ductility demand of the structure, it absorbs the energy of the seismic load, and it will work like a safety valve to protect main structural members from inelastic deformation. In spite of other types of frictional dampers, RCFD does not use and reduces the construction cost of high strength bolts. There is no limitation for the size and fitness of the bracing members more than that is for conventional design of braced frames. When we prove the performance of RCFD, some of the requirements of conventional design such as requirement of section F2 of Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, AISC 341-10, will be eliminated. The pressure needed for developing friction is provided by heating the shaft and placing it into the cylinder with slightly smaller xiii diameter. It is simple to design and construct and does not have the limitation of other kinds of frictional damper systems. It can also be installed with little or no modification on any kind of Braced Frames or to retrofit Moment Frames. In this study, RCFD will be installed and evaluated on an Inverted V Concentrically Braced Frame, although installation of the RCFD on X Braced frame will be illustrated.
M.S. in Civil Engineering, December 2013
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Title: DEGRADATION RATE MODEL TO ESTIMATE SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION
Creator: Zhai, Wenjuan
Date: 2016, 2016-05
Description: Concern over climate change as a consequence of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities has resulted in efforts to better...
Show moreConcern over climate change as a consequence of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities has resulted in efforts to better understand potential mitigation measures such as carbon sequestration in soils. Processes shaping natural carbon sequestration may be used to remove excess CO2 from combustion and other anthropogenic sources of carbon, and, alleviate concerns over climate change. Land application of biosolids is a process that increases the amount of soil carbon sequestration and may produce carbon credits in accordance with the definition of UN Climate Change Convention. A dynamic degradation rate model (DRM) has been developed based on a mass balance and first order kinetics to describe the soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition process, which provides insights on carbon sequestration due to microbial biomass, SOC, CO2 emission rates, residence time of sequestered carbon, and biomass to biosolids ratios. A curve fitting approach was used to produce a best fit average degradation rate for biosolids degradation and microbial biomass yield. This study employed a 34-year biosolids application database from the literature to determine the amount of carbon sequestered in 41 strip-mined Illinois fields. The DRM application identifies two SOC phases in soil. Soil organic carbon gain in phase one (first 10 yrs) is primarily due to biosolids C application remaining and accumulation while in phase two, SOC gain is due to biomass or C sequestration. Carbon sequestration changes with time relate to variations in biosolids application amounts (10 and 18 Mg ha-1 yr-1), different degradation rate constants (0.04yr-1 to 0.16yr-1), and biomass yields (35 to 40%). Additionally, comparison between model simulation results and laboratory resultsdetermine the amount of carbon sequestered in 41 strip-mined Illinois fields. The DRM application identifies two SOC phases in soil. Soil organic carbon gain in phase one (first 10 yrs) is primarily due to biosolids C application remaining and accumulation while in phase two, SOC gain is due to biomass or C sequestration. Carbon sequestration changes with time relate to variations in biosolids application amounts (10 and 18 Mg ha-1 yr-1), different degradation rate constants (0.04yr-1 to 0.16yr-1), and biomass yields (35 to 40%). Additionally, comparison between model simulation results and laboratory resultsdetermine the amount of carbon sequestered in 41 strip-mined Illinois fields. The DRM application identifies two SOC phases in soil. Soil organic carbon gain in phase one (first 10 yrs) is primarily due to biosolids C application remaining and accumulation while in phase two, SOC gain is due to biomass or C sequestration. Carbon sequestration changes with time relate to variations in biosolids application amounts (10 and 18 Mg ha-1 yr-1), different degradation rate constants (0.04yr-1 to 0.16yr-1), and biomass yields (35 to 40%). Additionally, comparison between model simulation results and laboratory resultsdetermine the amount of carbon sequestered in 41 strip-mined Illinois fields. The DRM application identifies two SOC phases in soil. Soil organic carbon gain in phase one (first 10 yrs) is primarily due to biosolids C application remaining and accumulation while in phase two, SOC gain is due to biomass or C sequestration. Carbon sequestration changes with time relate to variations in biosolids application amounts (10 and 18 Mg ha-1 yr-1), different degradation rate constants (0.04yr-1 to 0.16yr-1), and biomass yields (35 to 40%). Additionally, comparison between model simulation results and laboratory results provided by a yearlong study indicates that higher temperatures and moisture content and finer soils are related to larger degradation rates. To summarize, this study has the following contributions: (1) developed a degradation rate model which simulates the biosolids degradation process in soil and identifies two SOC phases in soil, and quantifies the biosolids degradation rate constant, biomass yield, and the C sequestered amount for multiple and long term soil application; (2) assessed the effect of changes in the amount of biosolids applied, soil type, and weather conditions on the C degradation rate by comparing model results to laboratory data; and (3) provides an easy quantitative method for predicting C sequestration from biosolids added to soil.
Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, May 2016
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Title: SURFACE CHARACTERIZATION OF NIOBIUM FOR SUPERCONDUCTING RF CAVITIES
Creator: Cao, Chaoyue
Date: 2014, 2014-07
Description: Surface characterization techniques including point contact tunneling (PCT) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy have been employed to study...
Show moreSurface characterization techniques including point contact tunneling (PCT) spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy have been employed to study the surface of niobium (Nb) superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. PCT spectroscopy provides a direct means of measuring the surface superconductivity, which is closely correlated with the cavity’s performance characterized by the quality factor Q. Cavities with remarkably high Q show near ideal tunneling spectra with sharp coherent peaks and low zero bias conductance, consistent with the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrie↵er (BCS) density of states (DOS), and bulk gap parameter, " = 1.55 -1.6 meV. Cavities with Q-drop often exhibit strong non-uniform heating during RF operations, with high loss regions identified as hot spots. PCT spectra on hot spots reveal suppressed superconductivity, broadened DOS and Kondo tunneling, consistent with magnetic impurities on the surface. Raman spectra on hot spots indicate the presence of various impurities on the surface including amorphous carbon, C-H chain compounds and NbC, providing insights into the formation of hot spots. The origin of the impurities is unclear at present but it is suggested that particular processing steps in SRF cavity fabrication may be responsible.
Ph.D. in Physics, July 2014
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Title: Functionalized Polyoxovanadates: Synthesis, Characterization and Properties
Creator: Zheng, Yujuan
Date: 2012-04-30, 2011-12
Description: The compound [NaVIV6O6{(OCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2OH}6]Cl.H20, designated C0 in this report, an Anderson type structure, contains a single nitrogen atom...
Show moreThe compound [NaVIV6O6{(OCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2OH}6]Cl.H20, designated C0 in this report, an Anderson type structure, contains a single nitrogen atom in place of a single oxygen atom in each of the six vanadium-oxygen octahedra. Attached to each nitrogen are two alkoxide arms (-O-C-C-) which terminate on separate oxygen atoms of the octahedra. A third ethoxy group (-CH2-CH2-OH) dangles freely from each nitrogen atom. The functionalized cationic core [NaVIV6O6{(OCH2CH2)2NCH2CH2OH}6]+ is generated in situ and is cationic with a charge of +1. Chloride is the counteranion. Each vanadium addenda atom is the +4 oxidation state, and the six unpaired electrons result in interesting magnetic properties. C0 is obtained by reaction of a vanadium oxide source triethanolamine. The purpose of the research described here was to adapt the synthetic protocol associated with triethanolamine to other similar ligands. Ligand choice was motivated by the broader goal of this research group to form (extended) hybrid electronic and magnetic materials by chemically bonding POM cores to chemically interesting ligands, such as dyes or other POM cores. In this regard, the original triethanolamine derivative has a number of shortcomings; chief among them is the inaccessibility of the alcoholic functional group chemistry---due to its low pH---that otherwise might have been used to form linkages through the dangling alkoxy arms. Additionally, linkages containing paraffinic carbon (-C-C-), which is not a good conduit of electronic interaction, are chemically undesirable where the synthetic goal is hybrid structures with interesting electronic and magnetic properties. The results associated with the three ligands, diethanolamine, N,N'-Bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine, and N,N-Bis(2-hydroxyethy) ethylenediamine, are described herein. Diethanolamine was chosen because---based on a structural comparison to triethanolamine---it was expected to produce a structure having a hydrogen atom in place of the dangling ethoxy arms, which was indeed the result. We considered this structure highly desirable becasue of the potential lability of the hydrogen atom (-N-H), which would allow us to functionalist the core directly. The resulting compounds are characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, mass spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, maganometric titration, temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements, and cyclic voltammetry. The results of the cyclicvoltammetric investigation are consistent with the labile hydrogen atom (-N-H).
M.S. in Chemistry, December 2011
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Title: MULTIPLE-INPUT MULTIPLE-OUTPUT NONLINEAR CONTROL OF SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION SYSTEMS
Creator: Dong, Siwei
Date: 2015, 2015-05
Description: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is one of the most promising solutions to meet the future nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions regulations for...
Show moreSelective catalytic reduction (SCR) is one of the most promising solutions to meet the future nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions regulations for heavy-duty diesel vehicles. However, such vehicles often operate in highly transient operations in which mobile selective catalytic reduction systems encounter significant efficiency challenges, especially when the engine is under a low load. A detailed simulation model of the SCR system was developed in the Gamma Technologies simulation suite and a baseline model of feedback control on SCR was constructed. Experiment data for the exhaust gas composition and conditions from a Cummins ISB engine was used to provide the input parameters for the SCR model. The results reveal that in the low-load conditions, the efficiency of NOx reduction in the SCR system is very low, and the level NOx concentration exiting the vehicle could be over 5 times than the limitation set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, these issues are encountered in part due to the fact that current SCR controls focus solely on the aftertreatment components and treat the incoming engine output conditions as system disturbances. To address the low NOx conversion problems encountered in low load conditions, a new integrated engine and aftertreatment control model was designed. This integrated approach improves the SCR system efficiency by using available feedback and modulating the upstream air/fuel ratio to provide more favorable SCR inlet conditions. From experiment data analysis, the engine’s air/fuel ratio is shown to have a critical impact on exhaust gas temperature and exhaust oxygen fraction, which highly affect the SCR reactions. In order to integrate the engine and aftertreatment system, a model of the SCR dynamics was created and validated and a simple model of the relationship between the engine’s air/fuel ratio and resulting exhaust temperature and composition is leveraged. The new model-based control strategy is proven to be effective to improve SCR system performance at low-load operations. With a small value shift in air/fuel ratio, the efficiency of low-load SCR system can increase from 40% to 85% at low load operating conditions.
M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, May 2015
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Title: LINEAR AND NONLINEAR BEHAVIOR OF TRANSIENT LIFT RESPONSE TO PULSE-ACTUATION
Creator: An, Xuanhong
Date: 2014, 2014-07
Description: The transient lift coe cient for a NACA0009 airfoil with pulsed jet actuation type of active ow control at stall conditions is investigated....
Show moreThe transient lift coe cient for a NACA0009 airfoil with pulsed jet actuation type of active ow control at stall conditions is investigated. The experimental mea- surements show the lift coe cient dependence to a single-pulse with di erent pulse widths and amplitudes. Based on the single-pulse with optimal parameters, multi- pulse and continuous pulse actuation cases are studied, which indicate that the pulse interval is the major factor of the active ow control system capability. Linear and nonlinear model are used to predict the lift coe cient variation for di erent input signals to the actuators. A combined nonlinear model is introduced to predict lift coe cient change due to arbitrary unsteady pitching motion with active ow control.
M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, July 2014
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Title: BIG DATA SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE AT EXTREME SCALES
Creator: Zhao, Dongfang
Date: 2015, 2015-07
Description: Rapid advances in digital sensors, networks, storage, and computation along with their availability at low cost is leading to the creation of...
Show moreRapid advances in digital sensors, networks, storage, and computation along with their availability at low cost is leading to the creation of huge collections of data { dubbed as Big Data. This data has the potential for enabling new insights that can change the way business, science, and governments deliver services to their consumers and can impact society as a whole. This has led to the emergence of the Big Data Computing paradigm focusing on sensing, collection, storage, management and analysis of data from variety of sources to enable new value and insights. To realize the full potential of Big Data Computing, we need to address several challenges and develop suitable conceptual and technological solutions for dealing them. Today's and tomorrow's extreme-scale computing systems, such as the world's fastest supercomputers, are generating orders of magnitude more data by a variety of scienti c computing applications from all disciplines. This dissertation addresses several big data challenges at extreme scales. First, we quantitatively studied through simulations the predicted performance of existing systems at future scales (for example, exascale 1018 ops). Simulation results suggested that current systems would likely fail to deliver the needed performance at exascale. Then, we proposed a new system architecture and implemented a prototype that was evaluated on tens of thousands nodes on par with the scale of today's largest supercomputers. Micro benchmarks and real-world applications demonstrated the e ectiveness of the proposed architecture: the prototype achieved up to two orders of magnitude higher data movement rate than existing approaches. Moreover, the system prototype was incorporated with features that were not well supported in conventional systems, such as distributed metadata management, distributed caching, lightweight provenance, transparent compression, acceleration through GPU encoding, and parallel serialization. Towards exploring the proposed architecture at millions of node scales, simulations were conducted and evaluated with a variety of workloads, showing near linear scalability and orders of magnitude better performance than today's state-of-the-art storage systems.
Ph.D. in Computer Science, July 2015
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