TTU Published Journals @ Volpe Library
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Correlating the Dependability of Nanoparticle Dispersion with the Presence of Matrix Polymer in Nanoparticle Composites Gr
Get PDFGrafting of polymers on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) instead of surface coating of nanoparticle with polymers have been shown to lead to better dispersion of nanoparticles is the polymer nanocomposites (PNC). This is due to better steric effect induced by the grafted polymer chains which enhances the dispersion of the nanoparticles in the system. However, although there is a better dispersion of the nanoparticles in the PNCs, which leads enhanced mechanical strength of the PNC material, the presence of the free polymer chains reduces the dispersibility of the NPs due to the entanglements that occurs between the free polymer chains (matrix polymers) and the grafted polymer chains. Thus, some form of aggregation is still experienced by the NPs in the PNCs. We seek to show that by systematically reducing the concentration of the matrix polymers in the system, more dispersion of the nanoparticle can be achieved. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations using LAMMPS parallel MD packages is used in simulating a system which includes solvents, matrix homopolymer chains and nanoparticles grafted with linear polymer chains (PGNPs). Three systems were developed with different but related compositions namely: (1) Solvent, matrix polymers and PGNPs, (2) Solvent and PGNPs, (3) Solvent and PGNPs with longer PGNPs than the previous two systems. The mean displacement of the nano-particles in the systems will be calculated to understand the diffusivity of the nano-particles. This will be done to shed light on some dynamic properties of the nano-particles in the system
Modeling and Implementation of LQR controller for Efficient EV Suspension Energy Harvesting
Get PDFOver the years, the global interest in the Electric Vehicle (EV) market has grown significantly. These vehicles are powered by electricity from off and on-vehicle sources. However, some of the challenges posed by most of these power sources are limited capacity, charging time constraints, availability of charging infrastructure, charger compatibility, etc. These consequently shortens the driving distance an EV can cover as long-distance trips will lead to more unwanted stops. In a bid to augment these sources, vibration energy from the vehicle suspension is harvested and converted to electricity for charging an onboard battery, consequently improving its mileage. In spite of this, a major issue with these vibration energy harvesters is that the device delivers weak output power when excited at frequencies outside their resonance frequencies. The motivation for this research stems from the need to model a low power consumption energy harvesting device that harvests energy rather wasted in the EV’s suspension. Also, to auto-tune its resonance frequency rapidly to coincide with the excitation frequency for maximum energy harvesting. This will be achieved by modeling an electromagnetic transducer which is controlled by a piezoelectric actuator. The spring stiffness will be altered by applying voltage to the piezoelectric actuator which will thereby widen the bandwidth of the energy harvester so as to ensure excitations below and above its natural resonance frequency. It is anticipated that the implementation will be carried out and the expected results should show optimized energy harvesting, improved tuning time and minimal energy consumption
Anomaly Detection for Industrial Control Systems Based on Neural Networks with One-Class Objective Function
Get PDFThe advent of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and the prevalence of networked sensors and actuators in many industrial control systems (ICS) have led to the exposure of critical infrastructure in our society to malicious activities and cyber threats. ICS are used to monitor and control critical infrastructure in our society that provide essential services such as electricity, water supply, among others. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are embedded devices that automate the processes of industrial control systems. PLCs which serve as the heart of ICS are vulnerable to attacks just like other embedder devices. Because PLCs are widely used to control the physical processes of ICS, attacks against PLCs can cause irreparable damages to enterprises and even loss of lives. However, due to the unique and proprietary architecture of PLCs, it is not easy to apply traditional tools and techniques for PLC protection. In this work, we present a novel unsupervised learning approach for anomaly detection in ICS based on neural networks with one class objective function. This technique combines the abilities of neural networks to learn complex relationships with a one class objective function for separating normal conditions from anomalous operations. We evaluated our model on a recent dataset collected from a real-world ICS: the Secure Water Treatment (SWaT) dataset. The performance of our proposed technique is compared with previous works, and it shows improvements in terms of scalability and attack detection capability, proving that the proposed technique is suitable for use in real ICS scenario
*WINNER* Optimal Fredkin Gate Designs for Logical Operations with Two and Three Inputs
No full textConservative and reversible logic gates are widely known to be compatible with and exhibit great efficiency on revolutionary computing paradigms such as low power, optical, and quantum computing. The fundamental conservative reversible logic (CRL) gate is the Fredkin gate. Functionally complete, Fredkin gates can implement any digital logic function, including those commonly used in classical computing. While Fredkin gates have been used by some researchers to build assorted logic functions, a comprehensive study of Fredkin gate implementations for logical operations has never been undertaken. This work describes a systematic study to discover efficient implementations of traditional computing functions using the Fredkin gate. The result of the study has yielded the optimal implementations of all two-input and the most common three-input logic operators
*WINNER* 'Hansel & Gretel' and 'Gretel & Hansel' - A comparison of the Brothers Grimm fairytale and Oz Perkins movie
No full textThe classic German fairytale ‘Hansel and Gretel’, written by the Brothers Grimm, confronts the reader with the issues such as famine, cannibalism, and abandonment. These are topics that also appeared in a lot of other fairytales around that time. Based on this observation this poster evaluates what influenced ‘Hansel and Gretel’ (1857) and how it may influence the same fairytale, told by Oz Perkins almost 200 years later. The movie ‘Gretel and Hansel’ came out in January 2020. Oz Perkins directed the movie and used the Brothers Grimm fairytale as the baseline for his story/movie. Perkins movie is one out of many adaptations of the Brothers Grimm fairytale. Does society play a big role in changing the tale and does famine still exist in today’s fairytales? Does the moral of the story stay the same? These are some points the poster will touch on
How are Micronutrient Deficiencies Associated with Outcomes of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression in Women?
Get PDFWomen who are pregnant or nursing have an increased risk of malnutrition as well as depression. The objective of this review of literature was to determine whether there was a direct correlation between the two diagnoses. Individuals with either antepartum or postpartum depression experience symptoms detrimental to the well-being of both themselves and their child. Common characteristics associated with this form of depression include lower levels of functioning in household care, financial instability leading to homelessness, and low birth weight for the infant due to lack of feeding. There is no exact panacea to maternal depression, however, research has found a potential link between diet and mental health. Certain neurotransmitters from the central nervous system like dopamine and glutamate play a role in digestive processes. Pregnant women experience a depletion of certain nutrients more rapidly than most individuals. These pregnancy-specific nutrients include but are not limited to folate, iron, zinc, and have shown to have a relationship with the regulation of mood. In conclusion, studies have shown a small yet promising correlation between neurological function and nutrient intake. However, an expansion of research on this topic is needed because most studies focused on the effects of overall diet quality on depression rather than specific nutrients. In addition, there has not yet been a cure confirmed for maternal depression
Adverse Effects of the World’s Cotton Industry
No full textIt takes 1,800 gallons of water to create a pair of cotton jeans, a fact that only further solidifies the textile industry as the second largest polluter in the world. This research is an examination of the alterations needed to transition the cotton industry to be more sustainable. There are many labels misleading society’s philosophy of sustainability, however, a precise definition of sustainability lacks credibility. Advocates have created educational resources to cultivate the industry for further understanding of the harmful practices of conventional cotton (Better Cotton Initiative, nd). Sustainable cotton lacks the use of manmade chemicals which leave a harmful footprint on the environment. The harmful practices of the conventional industry are long-lasting for the environment, while sustainable cotton promotes the future integrity of the land. This research explores the options for challenging the textiles industry to acknowledge the detrimental effects on our environment from the lack of sustainability, as well as develop sustainable practices within the cotton market
*WINNER* The Benefits of Increased Funding for the National School Lunch Program in Elementary Schools
No full textThe National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the United States exists to provide lunches to students in both public and private schools. Funding is dispersed among participating school systems. However, there is not enough funding given to schools, so schools are not able to provide a variety of nutrient-dense lunches, which then leads to lunches not being filling enough for students. The studies used for reference in this essay describe the benefits the NSLP has on student health, and support the claim that increasing funding for the NSLP will have a positive outcome on student health. Searching the keywords “NSLP funding”, “NSLP benefits”, “food insecurity”, and “NSLP nutritional standards” led to research articles that measured and assessed the benefits of the NSLP. This leads to the hypothesis that increasing funding for the NSLP will continue to result in beneficial outcomes for students; the research indicates that students will lead healthier lives with a lowered risk of disease. In conclusion, this essay will explore the data and will further support the needs and benefits of increasing the funding for the National School Lunch Program
The Link Between Depression and Health Outcomes
Get PDFIs there a link between depression and health outcomes? Our health is sensitive and can be affected by so many things. With the use of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, we can determine how our health is affected by our mental health, specifically anxiety and depression. By discovering the effect our mental health has on our overall health, diseases and pain can be managed better due to a more complete understanding of the internal and external connections of the body. I aim to find the link, or links, discussing the effects that depression can have on our health and the outcomes of diseases. I will use a literature synthesis to dissect research articles to gain a better understanding of how easily our mental health can influence our physical health. Researchers have administered surveys within the hospital and outpatient setting as well as over the phone interviews pertaining to the effects of depression on participants’ health. Research shows that after using these forms of assessment, most people who had a terminal, or chronic, illness had higher scores showing anxiety and depression. The research findings also reveal that those who struggle with lifelong issues have higher rates of mental illness and a lack of wanting to continue their care. Finally, through exploring previously published studies, we understand the link between our mental health and our overall health and willingness to continue taking care of ourselves
Comparing Intuitive Eating to Traditional Weight Loss Approaches
No full textThe majority of the U.S. population experiences a weight-related issue, from overweight and obesity to disordered eating. These weight related issues are commonly addressed by traditional diets in the U.S., but the traditional approaches to these weight related concerns have inconsistent results. This purpose of this review of literature was to explore how an intuitive eating approach may promote psychological health, weight loss, and maintenance compared to traditional weight loss approaches. By exploring different studies data was collected to determine the effectiveness of intuitive eating approaches. One study examined a “health at every size”, non-diet, body acceptance model in which participants utilized an intuitive eating approach. When compared to traditional diet group, the intuitive eating group had more success with attrition rates, maintaining weight, increasing physical activity, and disinhibition. Weight- related psychological flexibility interventions like acceptance commitment therapy helped increase reliance on hunger and satiety cues and eating for physical rather than emotional reasons. An intuitive eating approach can have positive effects on individuals’ weight related issues, psychological flexibility and maintenance of weight over time. The intuitive eating lifestyle may help promote self-esteem and help clients to feel better about themselves