AUS Repository (American University of Sharjah)
Not a member yet
2669 research outputs found
Sort by
A Real-Time Energy Management System Across Diverse Energy Sectors in Smart Cities
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Electrical Engineering by Aisha Rashid Alshamsi entitled, “A Real-Time Energy Management System Across Diverse Energy Sectors in Smart Cities”, submitted in May 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Mostafa Shaaban. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).The population growth and economic expansion have led to an unprecedented demand for energy, water, and transportation. This increased demand is contributing to the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and intensifying the climate crisis. As a result, governments are strategically pursuing carbon neutrality by introducing the use of renewable energy resources (RESs) and electrifying various end-uses, such as electric vehicles, in power systems. Further, the adoption of advanced water treatment methods, with a particular emphasis on the energy-intensive desalination method, the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO), becomes essential, especially in arid regions where conventional water sources are scarce. Integrating various energy sectors like SWRO systems and EV charging stations, and the existing electric power system presents significant challenges, primarily because the original design of the system did not accommodate these technologies. Consequently, the concept of an energy management system has emerged as an effective approach to bridging the gap between the different energy sectors. In this thesis, a new real-time framework is presented and tested for concurrently optimizing the three energy sectors as one interdependent model. The proposed model is a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model implemented within the GAMS optimization environment and is tested using the modified IEEE RTS 24-bus test system. The proposed approach takes into account the technical constraints of both the electric, water, and transportation systems, ensuring the optimization of their operation without compromising their technical limitations and the delivery of the services to customers. Several case studies are presented, each employing different optimization strategies. The results highlight the potential of real-time co-optimization in enhancing system flexibility and reducing costs. Specifically, it demonstrates a $73,000 or 12.7% reduction in operating costs for the co-optimized energy-water-transportation system.College of EngineeringDepartment of Electrical EngineeringMaster of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE
Enhancing Curcumin’s therapeutic potential in cancer treatment through ultrasound mediated liposomal delivery
No full textImproving the efficacy of chemotherapy remains a key challenge in cancer treatment, considering the low bioavailability, high cytotoxicity, and undesirable side effects of some clinical drugs. Targeted delivery and sustained release of therapeutic drugs to cancer cells can reduce the whole-body cytotoxicity of the agent and deliver a safe localized treatment to the patient. There is growing interest in herbal drugs, such as curcumin, which is highly noted as a promising anti-tumor drug, considering its wide range of bioactivities and therapeutic properties against various tumors. Conversely, the clinical efficacy of curcumin is limited because of poor oral bioavailability, low water solubility, instability in gastrointestinal fluids, and unsuitable pH stability. Drug-delivery colloid vehicles like liposomes and nanoparticles combined with microbubbles and ultrasound-mediated sustained release are currently being explored as effective delivery modes in such cases. This study aimed to synthesize and study the properties of curcumin liposomes (CLs) and optimize the high-frequency ultrasound release and uptake by a human breast cancer cell line (HCC 1954) through in vitro studies of culture viability and cytotoxicity. CLs were effectively prepared with particles sized at 81 ± 2 nm, demonstrating stability and controlled release of curcumin under ultrasound exposure. In vitro studies using HCC1954 cells, the combination of CLs, ultrasound, and Definity microbubbles significantly improved curcumin’s anti-tumor effects, particularly under specific conditions: 15 s of continuous ultrasound at 0.12 W/cm² power density with 0.6 × 10⁷ microbubbles/mL. Furthermore, the study delved into curcumin liposomes’ cytotoxic effects using an Annexin V/PI-based apoptosis assay. The treatment with CLs, particularly in conjunction with ultrasound and microbubbles, amplified cell apoptosis, mainly in the late apoptosis stage, which was attributed to heightened cellular uptake within cancer cells.Dana Gas Endowed Chair for Chemical Engineering
American University of Sharjah
Sheikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences
Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP)American University of SharjahDana Gas Endowed Chair for Chemical EngineeringSheikh Hamdan Award for Medical SciencesFriends of Cancer Patients (FoCP
The Development of Metal-Free Porous Organic Polymers for Sustainable Carbon Dioxide Photoreduction
No full textA viable tactic to effectively address the climate crisis is the production of renewable fuels via photocatalytic reactions using solar energy and available resources like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water. Organic polymer material-based photocatalytic materials are thought to be one way to convert solar energy into valuable chemicals and other solar fuels. The use of porous organic polymers (POPs) for CO₂ fixation and capture and sequestration to produce beneficial compounds to reduce global warming is still receiving a lot of interest. Visible light-responsive organic photopolymers that are functionally designed and include a large number of heteroatoms and an extended π-conjugation allow for the generation of photogenerated charge carriers, improved absorption of visible light, increased charge separation, and decreased charge recombination during photocatalysis. Due to their rigid structure, high surface area, flexible pore size, permanent porosity, and adaptability of the backbone for the intended purpose, POPs have drawn more and more attention. These qualities have been shown to be highly advantageous for numerous sustainable applications. POPs may be broadly categorized as crystalline or amorphous according to how much long-range order they possess. In terms of performance, conducting POPs outperform inorganic semiconductors and typical organic dyes. They are light-harvesting materials with remarkable optical characteristics, photostability, cheap cost, and low cytotoxicity. Through cocatalyst loading and morphological tweaking, this review presents optimization options for POPs preparation techniques. We provide an analysis of the ways in which the preparative techniques will affect the materials’ physicochemical characteristics and, consequently, their catalytic activity. An inventory of experimental methods is provided for characterizing POPs’ optical, morphological, electrochemical, and catalytic characteristics. The focus of this review is to thoroughly investigate the photochemistry of these polymeric organic photocatalysts with an emphasis on understanding the processes of internal charge generation and transport within POPs. The review covers several types of amorphous POP materials, including those based on conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs), inherent microporosity polymers, hyper-crosslinked polymers, and porous aromatic frameworks. Additionally, common synthetic approaches for these materials are briefly discussed.American University of Sharja
Zirconium Silicate/IL/Mxene-based composite membranes for high-temperature fuel cell applications
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Chemical Engineering by Reeves Nayagam Edwin entitled, “Zirconium Silicate/IL/Mxene-based composite membranes for high-temperature fuel cell applications”, submitted in June 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Amani Al-Othman. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringDepartment of Chemical and Biological EngineeringMaster of Science in Chemical Engineering (MSChE
Impairments Compensation in 5G PAs Using Neural Networks
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Electrical Engineering by Reem Al Najjar entitled, “Impairments Compensation in 5G PAs Using Neural Networks”, submitted in May 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Oualid Hammi. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).In the fields of behavioral modeling and PAs predistortion, neural networks have recently demonstrated their superior performance. These networks perform well as predistorters because they efficiently carry out complex calculations and capture the essential traits of nonlinear systems. This study presents a novel hybrid model that combines a neural network, in combination with a look-up table, to create a digital predistorter for PAs linearization. The main motivation being to use the look-up table to eliminate the highly nonlinear static distortions of the PA, and subsequently focusing the neural networks on the compensation of dynamic distortions in a manner that both sub-models complement each other. -Such approach was found to lead to excellent results-. The ZHL-42 driver and the CREE CGH40010 PA were used in the experimental setup. The instrumental equipment was the Anritsu MS2830A, which included a vector signal generator and a vector signal analyzer. The signal in use was a fifth-generation with a 40MHz four carrier bandwidth. The mean square error metric was used to assess the neural network model performance, while the adjacent channel leakage ratio was used to assess the effectiveness of the cascaded neural network and look-up table predistorter and their ability to effectively linearize the PA. In order to reduce the complexity of each block independent and obtain the best performance, this research focuses on merging a look-up table with a neural network model. Since scalability is an advantage of using a neural network, another goal is to achieve scalability and linearize the PA on various signals. Through these encouraging results, this all-encompassing strategy attempts to ultimately advance PAs linearization methods by taking advantage of the operational efficiency and synergy of the neural network and look-up table models when combined together.College of EngineeringDepartment of Electrical EngineeringMaster of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE
Enhanced Path Planning and Obstacle Avoidance Approach for Mobile Robot
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Mechatronics Engineering by Qutaiba Abedallah Hussein Al-Bashayreh entitled, “Enhanced Path Planning and Obstacle Avoidance Approach for Mobile Robot”, submitted in October 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Mohammad Jaradat and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Mamoun Abdel-Hafez. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).College of EngineeringMultidisciplinary ProgramsMaster of Science in Mechatronics Engineering (MSMTR
Drug Release via Ultrasound-Activated Nanocarriers for Cancer Treatment: A Review
No full textConventional cancer chemotherapy often struggles with safely and effectively delivering anticancer therapeutics to target tissues, frequently leading to dose-limiting toxicity and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. This has created a need for novel therapies that offer greater efficacy, enhanced safety, and improved toxicological profiles. Nanocarriers are nanosized particles specifically designed to enhance the selectivity and effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs while reducing their toxicity. A subset of drug delivery systems utilizes stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, which enable on-demand drug release, prevent premature release, and offer spatial and temporal control over drug delivery. These stimuli can be internal (such as pH and enzymes) or external (such as ultrasound, magnetic fields, and light). This review focuses on the mechanics of ultrasound-induced drug delivery and the various nanocarriers used in conjunction with ultrasound. It will also provide a comprehensive overview of key aspects related to ultrasound-induced drug delivery, including ultrasound parameters and the biological effects of ultrasound waves.American University of SharjahDana Gas Endowed Chair for Chemical EngineeringSheikh Hamdan Award for Medical SciencesFriends of Cancer Patients (FoCP
Experimental Evaluation of the Effective Electromechanical Coupling of a Vibrating Aircraft-Type Hybrid Honeycomb Sandwich Panel With Bonded Piezoelectric d31 Macro-Fibre Composite (MFC) Patch
No full textThis work presents the experimental evaluation challenges of the modal effective Electro-Mechanical Coupling Coefficient (EMCC) of a hybrid sandwich plate, made of regular (hexagonal) Aluminium honeycomb core and woven glass fibre-reinforced polymer composite faces, on which is bonded a piezoelectric transverse response (d31) Macro-Fibre Composite (MFC) large patch. The testing challenges come from the very light weight of the hybrid sandwich panel and the resulting difficulties to consider, without damaging it, different mechanical boundary conditions (BCs) along its lateral edges. This experimental campaign, using an impedance analyser, complements an earlier one that used an LCR meter. The latter provided only the EMCC of the first three electromechanically coupled modes under free-free (F-F) BCs, while the former reached more accurately eight ones for F-F and clamped-free (cantilever) BCs. Beside graphical form, the obtained frequency and effective EMCC results are given in tabular form, so that they can be used as reference for validating/correlating future numerical models
Multi-UAV-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing IoT Systems: Joint Association and Resource Allocation Framework
No full textA Master of Science thesis in Electrical Engineering by Yazan Mahmoud Abu Farha entitled, “Multi-UAV-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing IoT Systems: Joint Association and Resource Allocation Framework”, submitted in November 2024. Thesis advisor is Dr. Mahmoud Ibrahim. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled mobile edge computing (MEC) in IoT systems has recently gained prominence as a solution to accommodate the increasing quality-of-service (QoS) demands for emerging 5G-and-beyond IoT applications. In this work, we propose a multi-UAV-enabled MEC IoT network architecture, where the UAV-MECs cooperatively provide edge computing services to a large number of terrestrial IoT devices (IoTDs) across a wide rural area for environmental monitoring purposes. We study 2 separate scopes to gain insight into how some of the different design approaches and promising novel schemes in the literature can be utilized to bring about optimal QoS to the IoTDs. In our first scenario, we formulate an optimization problem with the goal of maximizing the total bits offloaded from all IoTDs in a finite service period through jointly optimizing UAV-IoTD associations, IoTD transmit powers, and UAV trajectories for a mobile UAVs case, under given energy budgets and QoS criteria, incorporating uplink Non-orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA). In our second scenario, we adopt a partial offloading scheme for flexibly partitioning device task data between local and offloaded computation, and formulate a separate optimization problem with the goal of minimizing the maximum task completion latency in the system by jointly optimizing offloading associations, data partitioning, bandwidth allocations, computation resource allocations, and UAV hovering positions in space for a static UAVs case. This is done under energy budget constraints as well as UAV computing capacity constraints. In both scenarios, the formulated problems are highly complex and intractable. A solution approach based on a specialized penalty block coordinate descent (P-BCD) algorithm is proposed, where the original problem is decomposed into subproblems that are solved alternately and iteratively. In addition, the binary offloading decisions are incorporated into the objective as a penalty term. Successive convex approximation (SCA) techniques are also utilized to tackle non-convex expressions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed schemes for the 2 distinct scenarios, we carry out numerical simulations for each where we study their performance under varying system parameters and with direct comparison to a number of other relevant benchmark schemes, and show superiority of our proposed schemes in terms of sum bits offloaded and energy efficiency in the first scenario, and maximum task latency in our second scenario.College of EngineeringDepartment of Electrical EngineeringMaster of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE