Development of a liquid injection propane system for spark-ignited engines via fuel temperature control

This work describes the development of a thermally controlled liquid propane injection system...A liquid fuel system, as described in this work, offers power gains over vaporized fuel introduction due to the ability to use the heat of vaporization from the vaporizing fuel to cool the intake charge and improve the volumetric efficiency of the engine. This system uses temperature to control the state of the fuel in the fuel system --Introduction, page 1

Offshore Platform Provides Venue to Test New Technologies

OPSTAR Program OverviewThe Offshore Platform Security Threat Awareness and Response Program (OPSTAR 2013) was an integrated series of training, field experiments, and exercise events planned and conducted by the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Asymmetric Warfare. It was conducted to explore the unique issues within homeland security, homeland defense, emergency response and emergency management presented by safety and security threats to offshore oil and gas platforms. In addition, the program provided an operationally relevant venue for the research and field experimentation of developing and transitional technologies related to maritime domain awareness

Polarization-resolved second-harmonic-generation optical coherence tomography in collagen

We describe a novel imaging technique, second-harmonic-generation optical coherence tomography (SHOCT). This technique combines the spatial resolution and depth penetration of optical coherence tomography (OCT) with the molecular sensitivity of second-harmonic-generation spectroscopy. As a consequence of the coherent detection required for OCT, polarization-resolved images arise naturally. We demonstrate this new technique on a skin sample from the belly of Icelandic salmon, acquiring polarization-resolved SHOCT and OCT images simultaneously

Pump-probe scheme for optical coherence tomography using indocyanine green mixed with albumin or human plasma

Use of indocyanine green (ICG) in a pump-probe scheme for OCT is proposed. The study illustrates that ICG in protein solution shows unusual pump-probe imaging potential, indicating its usefulness as a contrast agent for OCT

Rise and fall of iconic guitar tonewoods and evaluation of alternative species

The future use of traditional tonewoods in the art of lutherie is at a critical juncture. The over-utilization of tropical hardwoods is forcing guitar makers to consider suitable substitutions for the wood species that have become iconic for concert quality instruments. The historical evolution of material selection was examined to determine how and why certain woods became de facto in the art of lutherie. Objective testing methods were designed to quantify the properties essential to material selection and provide a benchmark to compare potential substitutes. Different wood species were subsequently tested to determine their suitability for substitution. A blind test was carried out to demonstrate the indistinguishability of guitars made from different woods having similar physical and vibrational characteristics. The results indicate that a specific wood sample's physical and vibrational characteristics are more important than the wood’s identity. This thesis explores the historical development of the guitar in terms of the evolution of the iconic woods preferred for use in concert quality instruments. With the potential loss of access to these woods due to overutilization and subsequent international trade restrictions, the research goes on to define their physical and vibrational qualities to establish benchmarks by which alternative species can be measured. The objective testing methods devised in the research are based on the traditional subjective methods used for centuries by luthiers to ascertain wood quality. In addition, the testing methods were designed so that they could be easily replicated by other luthiers. Finally, four guitars were made by the author in an identical fashion except for their back and sides. Two of the guitars were made from a threatened resource, Indian rosewood, while the other two instruments were made from a currently sustainable resource, African padauk. The woods selected were matched as closely as possible in terms of their physical and vibrational properties. The test determined that instruments made from wood with nearly identical physical and vibrational properties are indistinguishable in a blind performance test by experienced guitarists

Spectral triangulation molecular contrast optical coherence tomography with indocyanine green as the contrast agent

We report a new molecular contrast optical coherence tomography (MCOCT) implementation that profiles the contrast agent distribution in a sample by measuring the agent's spectral differential absorption. The method, spectra triangulation MCOCT, can effectively suppress contributions from spectrally dependent scatterings from the sample without a priori knowledge of the scattering properties. We demonstrate molecular imaging with this new MCOCT modality by mapping the distribution of indocyanine green, a FDA-approved infrared red dye, within a stage 54 Xenopus laevis

Molecular contrast optical coherence tomography: SNR comparison of techniques and introduction of ground state recovery pump-probe OCT

Molecular contrast OCT (MCOCT) is an extension of OCT in which specific molecular species are imaged based on their spectroscopic characteristics. In order to improve the sensitivity and specificity of MCOCT, several techniques have recently been introduced which depend upon coherent detection of inelastically scattered light from molecules of interest in a sample. These techniques include harmonic generation, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, and several different forms of pump-probe spectroscopy. We have developed a theoretical framework to facilitate the comparison of different inelastic scattering-based contrast mechanisms for molecular contrast OCT. This framework is based upon the observation that since the noise floor is defined by the reference arm power in a shot-noise limited heterodyne detection system, the relevant comparison among the techniques is isolated to the available molecular-specific signal power. We have derived the value of the molecular contrast signal power for second harmonic generation OCT (SHOCT) and three different pump-probe OCT (PPOCT) techniques. Motivated by this analysis, we have constructed a preliminary ground state recovery pump-probe OCT system, and demonstrated its performance using rhodamine 6G as the MCOCT contrast agent

Distance-Based Habitat Associations of Northern Bobwhites in a Fescue-Dominated Landscape in Kansas

Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have a wide distribution across North America which influences its’ associations with habitats in a variety of landscapes. We used radio-marked bobwhites and Euclidean distance to characterize land cover associations of bobwhites at generalized level 1 and specific level 2 land cover classifications during the reproductive (15 Apr-14 Oct) and covey (15 Oct-14 Apr) periods in southeastern Kansas from 2003 to 2005. Habitat associations occurred during the reproductive (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.04, F6,36 1⁄4 143.682, P , 0.001) and covey (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.056, F6, 29 1⁄4 81.99, P , 0.001) periods. Ranking of the reproductive period habitats indicated bobwhites preferred locations in close proximity to fescue (Festuca spp.) over all other habitats. Coveys preferred locations in close proximity to woody cover. Bobwhites were found to associate with specific habitats at the level 2 land cover classification during the reproductive (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.006, F16, 26 1⁄4 284.483, P , 0.001) and covey (Wilkes’ k 1⁄4 0.004, F16, 19 1⁄4 276.037, P , 0.001) periods. Bobwhites preferred locations in close proximity to fescue pastures and roads equally over all other habitats during the reproductive period. Coveys preferred locations in close proximity to roads and Conservation Reserve Program lands during the covey period. Fescue pastures may be avoided by bobwhites during the covey period, provided adequate cover is not provided, but bobwhites are strongly associated with them during the reproductive period because they meet nesting and brooding needs not met by other habitats

Interdisciplinary Psychology and Law Training in Family and Child Mediation: An Empirical Study of the Effects on Law Student Mediators

There is growing interest in interdisciplinary training programs for law students. The goal of these programs is to prepare law students for the real world interdisciplinary settings they will face in their careers. However, there exists little research to provide evidence of the utility of such training. This study examined the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary psychology and law training program on law students using a multi-method approach (i.e., knowledge tests and focus group discussion). Findings suggest that interdisciplinary training of law students increased law students’ knowledge of law and psychology, was enjoyed by law students, and had a beneficial impact on law students’ educational experience

Spectral domain phase microscopy for local measurements of cytoskeletal rheology in single cells

We present spectral domain phase microscopy (SDPM) as a new tool for measurements at the cellular scale. SDPM is a functional extension of spectral domain optical coherence tomography that allows for the detection of cellular motions and dynamics with nanometer-scale sensitivity in real time. Our goal was to use SDPM to investigate the mechanical properties of the cytoskeleton of MCF-7 cells. Magnetic tweezers were designed to apply a vertical force to ligand-coated magnetic beads attached to integrin receptors on the cell surfaces. SDPM was used to resolve cell surface motions induced by the applied stresses. The cytoskeletal response to an applied force is shown for both normal cells and those with compromised actin networks due to treatment with Cytochalasin D. The cell response data were fit to several models for cytoskeletal rheology, including one- and two-exponential mechanical models, as well as a power law. Finally, we correlated displacement measurements to physical characteristics of individual cells to better compare properties across many cells, reducing the coefficient of variation of extracted model parameters by up to 50%