A 3-D Multiplex Paper-microfluidic Platform

3-D paper-based microfluidic devices (micoPADs) are small and portable devices made out of paper that offer a promising platform for diagnostic applications outside of a laboratory. These devices are easy to use, low cost, require no power source, and capable of detecting multiple targets simultaneously. The work in this thesis demonstrated the ability of a 3-D paper-microfluidic platform to simultaneously detect 5 targets. Rubber cord stock was used in conjunction with an acrylic housing unit to apply pressure along the edge of the channel. The indirect pressure application was successful in promoting vertical fluid flow between layers. Average channel development times were recorded between 110 seconds and 150 seconds. The implementation of the 3-D paper-microfluidic platform as a diagnostic device was validated with a colorimetric glucose assay. In a novel application, reagents were deposited onto the 3-D platform via a glucose reagent pencil created by Martinez et al. A visual signal was observed for the successful detection of glucose at a concentration of 1.2 mM. These results offer promise for future work in combing new reagent deposition techniques with a multi-layer paper-microfluidic platform. Overall, this research made advancements in the design of a paper-microfluidic platform capable of the simultaneous detection of 5 targets

Effect of the standard clearing limit of forest road right-of-way on stand stock growth: Case study of Vaston forests, Hyrcanian zone

Forest roads must be constructed according to the technical standards and guidelines published by the  scientific organizations. The main aims of this research was to compare the standard clearing limit with  existence status and assess the effects of the application of improper clearing limit on forest stock growth. In this research the standard design of clearing limit was determined based on soil texture and hillside  gradient. Slope steepness map were obtained from DEM. 17 clearing limit samples were taken for each of the slope classes. The soil samples number were determined according to the length of roads which have passed from each slope classes. Results showed that the difference between the standard and existing  clearing limit in secondary forest road was significantly higher than that in main forest road. Difference  between stand volume decrease in standard and existing clearing limit in silt soil was significantly more  than that in silt clay and clay soils. The difference between standard and existing clearing limit as well as the difference between standard and existing trees stock growth in different slope classes and soil sub-units was significant. Difference between stand volume increased significantly as difference between standard  and existing clearing limit.Key words: Forest road, clearing limit, right-of-way, stock growth, standard design

Recycled rubber access cover riser

The aim of this dissertation was to design an environmentally sustainable recycled rubber access cover riser (RAC) for raising existing stormwater and sewer access covers (AC) during asphalt overlays. This was achieved by performing a material analysis and detailed structural design of the RAC. The result was a cost effective RAC product design that satisfies the geometric criteria identified and also the structural design requirements using the von Mises yield criterion. The RAC supply and installation cost was calculated at $1,536.74 per maintenance hole (MH). The RAC will be compatible with all existing AC diameters and will be manufactured in two (2) thicknesses. Also the RAC will meet the following design criteria, it must be a permanent product equalling the life of the asphalt wearing course; there must be a marked cost saving; the installation treatment must be non-destructive, quick and simple. The RAC is a solid recycled rubber circular disk 1000.0 mm in diameter. It will be bolted and glued to the existing AC which will also provide structural support. The RAC and connection design will conform to Class D AS 3996 Access Covers and Grates. KN Rubber’s Symar bearing pads were selected for modelling and possible development as they are geometrically adaptable and environmentally sustainable. Modelling was performed in Strand7 using Mooney-Rivlin material theory and processing was performed using the nonlinear solver. The RAC design must above all, be safe and able to stand the loads prescribed in AS 3996 without yielding. The design model was tested through application of the von Mises yield criterion and critically the von Mises stresses for both RAC thicknesses were less than the material yield strength. In conclusion the parameters outlined show it is reasonable to state that the RAC is a feasible product based on the design performance and cost estimate

Fabrication of Pinion Gear for Power Window of a Car through Powder Metallurgy Technique

Powder Metallurgy (P/M) is a long standing business that grew at a rapid rate from the 1980s. Much of its growth derived from powder-based parts replacing castings, forgings, and machined parts. The industry demonstrated that it could meet the needs of manufacturers but at a lower cost. More than 73% ofall P/M parts are sold to the automotive industry. P/M is useful in making parts that have irregular curves, or recesses that are hard to machine. It is suitable for high volume production with very little wastage of material. Secondary machining is virtually eliminated. Typical parts that can be made with this process include cams, ratchets, sprockets, sintered bronze and iron bearings (impregnated with oil) and carbide tool tips. P/M could potentially become an industry with saturated markets and grow mainly by acquisition or increasing market share. Though P/M technology has been widely used in automotive industry in many countries such as the United States, this technique is still new and not yet developed in Malaysia. Thus, this project is carried out to fabricate pinion gear for power window of car through P/M technique. The aim of this project is to optimize the P/M technologies so that it can be implemented in Malaysian automotive industry in future. The scope ofworks covers literature review, copy drawing ofexisting pinion gear, fabricate die and mould ofpinion gear, fabricate gears using P/M, conduct laboratory test and communicate the findings

Industrialització del procés de confecció de cortines

In this Final Degree Thesis the industrialisation of a small family business, Sactelyer, has been put into practice. With the aim of industrialising the manufacturing process of making curtains. Previously, the company's current manufacturing process is analysed to find the shortcomings and waste it has. And it makes known the production capacity, the annual turnover, the manual tools and artisanal methods it has. Subsequently, the choice of equipment renewal and Lean Management as methodologies for improving the company's competitiveness is justified and an analysis of the techniques and general components thereof is carried out. Once the different methodologies are explained, a study of the current textile market in Spain is carried out, to see which trend is following and if it is the ideal time to invest in this sector. Next, a study of the type of industrial machinery that will be implemented within the manufacturing process is developed in order to increase production capacity tenfold, without the need to hire any additional workers or to train employees. Finally, three new industrial machines have been selected for production in Sactelyer. The specifications of each of the machines and the effect they have on the speed of production have been studied. A 3D model has been created to visualise the layout of the machines in space. Once the new machines are implemented, the production speed is estimated and the results have shown an increase of 88.3% in relation to the previous state. This increase in production speed will lead to a higher net profit for Sactelyer, compared to the profit under the traditional manufacturing process

Optical sensor system for monitoring the pH of cellular media: application to an organ-on-a-chip platform

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia FísicapH is a physiological parameter that changes its value according to cellular state of a human organ. When a tumour is being developed, it is known that they have a more acid interstitial pH than normal tissues. This is mainly due to the high metabolic activity of the abnormal cells with increase of acidic sub-products and the absence of organised vasculature of tumours, that leads to poor tissue oxygenation. Indeed, in in vitro animal systems, such as static cell culture experiments or advanced microfluidic devices, the cell’s metabolic activity during incubation causes the alteration of the cell culture pH, which drops the pH from close to the physiological (7.4) to acidic ones (lower than 7.0). Because low environmental pH inhibits cell survival, proliferation and activity, cell culture media has to be consecutively replaced for fresh one. For the pH monitoring, cell culture media is, in general, complemented with a pH colorimetric indicator (e.g. phenol red). However, the colour change of the cell culture media does not quantify the pH value. For this reason, the monitoring and quantification of cell culture medium pH, especially in advanced cell culture devices, such as organ-on-a-chip (OoC), which contain healthy and/or tumour organ models, is still a challenge and a parameter of utmost importance for the maintenance of homeostasis (auto-regulation). The pH of tissues can be measured by a variety of techniques, being pH electrodes the most used. Nevertheless, other methods can be used for pH measurement, such as optical sensors. In general, this technique eliminates the tissue injury effects, but results in an integrated measurement over a long period and demanding a relatively large volume of sample. Particularly, in OoC platforms, the small size of each OoC constituent part, has triggered the development of micro(bio)sensors to be integrated in the microchambers that feed the perfusion chambers containing the organ models, which are used for monitoring the pH of the cell culture media in circulation. In this study, a literature review of pH sensors that can be miniaturised and integrated in OoC was investigated. Based on this previews literature research, and the presence of a colorimetric pH indicator (phenol red) that is commercially added to cell culture media, a miniaturization of an optical pH sensor, for real-time sensing of the cell culture medium feeding advanced microfluidic devices was investigated. This strategy can have several advantages, such as low-cost implementation and improvement of the pH reading based on the beam-splitter phenomenon. For this purpose, a microchamber, processed by micromilling in PMMA, was developed and optimised to support the pH optical sensing system, creating a prototype device that can be directly incorporated into an OoC platform. For the pH sensing experiments, buffered solutions with stablished pH and phenol red were used to test and optimize the optical sensor, by analysing their transmittance signal. In this study, the colorimetric pH indicator (phenol red) was added in the same concentration than the one used in commercial cell culture media. The results shown that the pH reading was successful achieved in intervals of 0.2 pH units, in a range between 6.0 to 8.0.O pH é um parâmetro fisiológico, cujo valor se altera de acordo com o estado celular de um órgão humano. Quando um tumor está em poliferação, este tem um pH intersticial mais ácido do que os tecidos normais. Isto deve-se principalmente à elevada atividade metabólica das células anormais com o aumento de subprodutos ácidos e a ausência de vasculatura organizada dos tumores, que leva à pobre oxigenação dos tecidos. De facto, em sistemas animais in vitro, tais como experiências de cultura celular estática ou dispositivos microfluídicos avançados, a atividade metabólica da célula durante a incubação provoca a alteração do pH da cultura celular, que baixa o pH de perto do fisiológico (7.4) para um mais ácido (inferior a 7.0). O baixo pH fisiológico inibe a sobrevivência, proliferação e atividade celular, e, em consequência, os meios de cultura celular têm de ser substituídos consecutivamente. Para a monitorização do pH, os meios de cultura celular são, em geral, complementados com um indicador colorimétrico de pH (por exemplo, vermelho de fenol). No entanto, a mudança de cor dos meios de cultura celular não quantifica o valor do pH. Por esta razão, a monitorização e quantificação do pH dos meios de cultura celular, especialmente em dispositivos avançados de cultura celular, tais como Organ-on-a-chip (OoC), que contêm modelos de órgãos saudáveis e/ou tumorais, é ainda um desafio e um parâmetro da maior importância para a manutenção da homeostase (autorregulação). O pH dos tecidos pode ser medido por uma variedade de técnicas, sendo os elétrodos de pH os mais utilizados. Contudo, outros métodos podem ser utilizados para a medição do pH, tais como os sensores óticos. Esta técnica elimina os efeitos da lesão tecidual, mas resulta numa medição integrada durante um longo período e a partir de um volume relativamente grande de amostra. Particularmente, nas plataformas de OoC, o pequeno tamanho de cada parte constituinte de OoC, desencadeou o desenvolvimento de micro(bio)sensores para serem integrados nas microcâmaras que alimentam as câmaras de perfusão, as quais contêm os modelos de órgãos, e que podem ser utilizados para monitorizar o pH dos meios de cultura celular em circulação. Neste estudo, foi investigada uma revisão bibliográfica de sensores de pH que podem ser miniaturizados e integrados na OoC. Com base nesta pesquisa bibliográfica prévia, e a presença de um indicador colorimétrico de pH (vermelho fenol) que é comercialmente adicionado aos meios de cultura celular, foi investigada uma miniaturização de um sensor ótico de pH para a deteção em tempo real do meio de cultura celular que alimenta dispositivos microfluídicos avançados. Esta estratégia pode ter várias vantagens, tais como a implementação a baixo custo e a melhoria da leitura do pH com base no fenómeno do separador de feixe. Para este efeito, foi desenvolvida e otimizada uma microcâmara, processada por micromilling em PMMA, para apoiar o sistema de deteção ótica de pH, criando um dispositivo protótipo que pode ser diretamente incorporado numa plataforma OoC. Para as experiências de deteção de pH, foram utilizadas soluções tampão com pH estabilizado e vermelho fenol para testar e otimizar o sensor ótico, através da análise do seu sinal de transmitância. Assim, o indicador colorimétrico de pH vermelho de fenol foi adicionado na mesma concentração encontrada nos meios de cultura celular comerciais. Os resultados mostram que a leitura do pH foi bem-sucedida em intervalos de 0.2 unidades de pH, num intervalo entre 6.0 a 8.0.This work results partially of the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-029394, RTChip4Theranostics, supported by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte - Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), IP, project reference PTDC/EMD-EMD/29394/2017

Sunday in the Shop with Rob

On February 21st, 2019, Southern Illinois University Department of Theater produce