2019 Summer Research Projects

Peripheral Arterial Disease is linked to several diseases and can eventually lead to amputation and/or death. Is it estimated to affect 27 million people in Europe and America. In the past, treatments have been to change lifestyle, medication, or the use of a medical procedure. The proposed solution implements a multi-faceted, non-invasive imaging approach, with the goal of monitoring and quantifying blood perfusion recovery. Through the integration of a variety of other non-invasive imaging modalities, the team was able to visualize and quantify the spatiotemporal dynamics underlying vascular recovery through blood perfusion and oxygenation analysis non-invasively.

Authors: Camille Moulin, Tashiya Warfield, Denise Medina, Jamila Hedhli, Wawrzyniec Dobrucki

Working in the Hernandez Lab, the group aided in the progression of two neuromechanical projects – exploring the impact of anxiety on falls in older adults and salient features of a neuromechanical model of the wrist. We assisted in the development of neuromechanical research and its application to medical technology creation.

Authors: Dany Campos, Lyndon Pelmore, Liran Ziegelman, Dr. Manuel Hernandez

Carbon Dots (CDs) are an emerging class of nanomaterials, defined by their characteristic sizes of < 10nm. CDs possess a carbon core that is functionalized by various groups at its surface. CDs have unique fluorescent properties which have been exploited to utilize them in bioimaging, sensing, optoelectronics, etc. This project specifically focused on synthesizing 3 CDs with different surface chemistry and their usage in sensing of metal ions and proteins. This novel application of carbon dots allows for a more accurate and efficient way to detect various metal ions and proteins in a biologically relevant scenario.

Authors: Alhena Bello, Makhai Smith, Indrajit Srivastava, Dipanjan Pan

What is Machine Learning? The ability to abstract predictions from data based on limited information so as to process artificial creation. The different Types of Machine Learning include:

• Reinforcement Learning: Machine learns from mistakes, and its primary goal is to maximize the notion of reward among its users. This method of leaning is used in artificial games.
• Supervised Learning: The user inputs testing/old data with labels so as to train the machine. The user then inserts real data to the machine and based on previous exposure to similar data, the machine is able to devise a graph of classification.
• Unsupervised Learning: Allows the user to input data; the machine is then independently capable of rearranging this data into clusters for dimensional resizing.

Authors: Banan Garada, Indrajit Srivastava, Dipanjan Pan

Recently, researchers have discovered that stem cell fate decision can be drastically affected by the microenvironment. Specifically, the elastic modulus of the microenvironment in particular, has been shown to influence stem cell differentiation. For example, when stem cells are put on a soft gel, they grow to mimic brain cells. When they are put on an intermediate still gel, they grow to mimic muscle cells. When they are put on a rigid gel, they grow to mimic bone cells. The Underhill lab studies the role of microenvironmental effects on the cells found in the liver.

Authors: Adam Youssef, Paradise Jamal, Aidan Brougham-Cook, Ishita Jain, Dr. Gregory Underhill

One of the most common 3-D printing processes, especially among those processing polymeric materials, is the fused deposition modeling (FDM) process. This process builds geometry by selectively depositing material in layers, fusing each layer with the one below. A problem facing the wide adoption of this technology in manufacturing is the dimensional error on the parts. This is mainly caused by position error of the open-loop controller and belt compliance. This project designed a useful testbed for characterizing this error at different speeds and settings. The current status of the work is a completed testbed design and experimental plan for monitoring the errors during printing.

Authors: Azure S. Rubel, Jaden Johnson, Nathan Westerman, Satya R.T. Peddada, and Albert Patterson

This group studied the capabilities of the google edge and its vast ability to machine learn. The Edge has a camera port that allows a coral camera to be equipped and run code controlling the both of them. This group studied how the edge processed and classified objects while also being able to detect faces. It was witnessed how fast it executes the commands.

Authors: Darius Jackson, Xiaohao Wang, Jian Huang

Enhancing evaporation and condensation by fabricating engineered micro/nano structured surfaces.Industrial Applications: Applications of enhanced evaporation: Spray cooling, Battery cooling, and Electronics cooling; Applications of enhanced condensation: Dehumidifier, Air conditioning units, Power plants, Distillation of petroleums.

Authors: Rola Abudayeh, Madisen LeShoure, tom Gelsthorpe, Kazi Fazle Rabbi, Muhammad Jahidul Hoque, and Nenad Milijkovic

The focus of our research this summer was the design, construction, and implementation of a device that can make airflow visible. This device will be able to show the transition from laminar (ordered) to turbulent (disordered) flow as well as the development of boundary layer separation over a dynamic surface that changes shape. It will also serve as a valuable source of qualitative data.

Authors: Rachel Loftus, Aadhy Parthasarathy, Himmat Mann, Theresa Saxton-Fox

Zebrafish are freshwater fish native to the Indian subcontinent. Zebrafish are widely used in research because they breed very frequently, their genes can be edited fairly easily, and they are transparent, allowing for fluorescence imaging of their cells. Neuroethologists study behavior of zebrafish in response to external stimuli in order to understand the neural circuits underlying these behaviors. The experiment was designed to evoke startle response in zebrafish larvae.

Authors: Shaili McNeely

Our group works on developing a better Zero Degree Calorimeter (ZDC) for the ATLAS collaboration in the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. The ZDC and the LHC at large collects data from particle collisions that helps teach us more about the early stages of our universe, specifically the quark-gluon plasma that existed moments after the Big Bang. Within the ZDC, there is a component called the light guide which collects light to detect particles. We want to find how the efficiency of the light enters. This will be useful to compare the current light guide to the new one.

Authors: Vigo Etshitshi, Andi Mankolli, Sean Preins, Joy Bryant

A point of entry water filter treats all water that enters a building before it reaches individual taps while a point of use water filter is used to treat water at an individual tap. Premise plumbing is the water distribution system that is specific to one building past the point of the entry filter. Metal pipes are often used in premise plumbing. Corrosion of these pipes is the degradation of the materials that line the inside of the pipes. Factors like a low pH or high temperature can increase the rate of corrosion. A biofilm is a group of microorganisms that forms in moist surroundings, like pipes in premise plumbing. Chlorine is a disinfectant used to treat to water. It is not effective in attacking biofilms, but is effective in killing planktonic bacteria. Chloramines are produces when chlorine is mixed with ammonia. While chloramine is considered a weaker disinfectant than chlorine, it is more effective in attacking biofilms. Nitrification is the process of ammonia oxidizing to nitrite and then to nitrate due to nitrifying microorganisms. When there is excess ammonia in water, nitrification can occur. Disinfection byproducts are created when disinfectants, such as chlorine and chloramine, react with natural organic matter in water. The presence of free chlorine in drinking water correlates with a lower concentration of bacteria and archea in the water.

Authors: Sonam Jain, Gemma G. Clark, Dr. Helen Nguyen

Artificial intelligence is in everyday things from video games, to Apple-s new iPhone, and even in care today for autonomous driving. In order to do all of these features, a development environment of hardware and software is needed. Creating such environment is very important and is difficult as well. In this research, a high-end computer workstation with 12 CPUs is built. A popular open-source operation system, Ubuntu 18.04LTS is installed on the new-built workstation. We installed packages such as Pyhton, OpenCV, and Tensorflow for artificial intelligence modeling. A handwritten digit recognition neural network model is developed to read digits 0-9 written on the white paper through a webcam.

Authors: Jeremiah Hamilton, Xinying Wang, Thong Nguyen, and Jose E. Schutt-Aine

In 2004, Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov discovered the method to remove a single layer of carbon lattice (graphene) from graphite. Thanks to this Nobel Prize winning discovery, graphene has since then revolutionized electronics. Graphene is a monolayer of carbons in a tightly bound, hexagonal lattice. It is commonly used as a field effect transistor, an electrical component that modulates current flow. The aim of this project is to use the method of mechanical exfoliation to create @d materials and fabricate and measure electronic devices based on those 2D materials.

Authors: Jennifer Chen, Kai Xu, Professor Zhu

The nuclear material deposited in equipment, transfer lines, and ventilation systems of a processing facility is typically referred to as “Holdup”. Holdup can easily accumulate over time. Operators need to know the location and amount of holdup for safety and materials accountability. Current methods of holdup assay require the careful use and calibration of a detector, which when measuring is often affected by a non-negligible bias.

Authors: Noah Rebei, Ming Fang, Muzammil Siddiqui, Dr. Angela Di Fulvio

Over the summer, I worked at the U of I in the Materials Research Laboratory. I studied with some PhD students and learned what all of their research was about. I learned how to process the images and convert them into images that we can use to train the AI. We are taking microscopic videos of nanoparticles and converting them frame by frame into images that we can use.

Authors: Autumn Kennedy, Zihao Qu, Wengxing Chen, and Qian Chen

Thermoelectrics produce energy by a temperature difference. It uses waste heat and converts it into electricity. Thermoelectric materials convert energy based on the Seebeck and Peltier effect. We want high electrical conductivity. Low thermal conductivity. If you have a high thermal conductivity it’s either going to be all hot or all cold. We want thermoelectric materials to be semiconductors, some electrons are bound and some are free to move. Metals, semiconductors, and insulators have different size atoms, which slows down the heat but allows electrons to move freely.

Authors: Estefanny Ruiz, Michael Y. Toriyama, Jiaxing Qu, Lídia C. Gomes, and Elif Ertekin

Coral Larvae live near the ocean surface, but when they are ready to begin growing into adults the larvae sink to the ocean floor and find a spot to attach and settle. Many of these larvae do not settle and do not grow into adulthood, reducing the number of new coral that could grow and slowing reef recovery.

Most research projects in science and engineering deal with linear systems that are predictable. However, almost every system in the world is unpredictable or chaotic – the patterns of weather, the way water drips from a faucet, the rhythm of our beating hearts. When a linear model is applied to a chaotic system, the results will be highly inaccurate. By studying chaos, we can more efficiently predict behaviors within real world system.

Authors: Ayan Harris, Allyjah Hansen, Alireza Mojahed, Jill McLean, Dr. Alexander Vakakis

DNA origami, introduced by Paul Rothemund in 2006, is a novel technique to create custom size and shape nanostructures in 2D and 3D by simply folding long, single-stranded DNA molecules. caDNAno, a computer interface, provides an easy way to design the complex DNA Origami structures. Atomistic modelling of these nanostructures can help to resolve their properties and structure at nanoscale. DNA Origami is still in a testing phase, however, many scientists believe it can have multiple applications in the future from drug delivery systems to uses as circuitry in plasmonic devices.

Authors: Alla Radman, Lauren Quednau, Himanshu Joshi, Christopher Maffeo, David Winogradoff, and Aleksei Aksimentiev

Light is composed of photons. For one wavelength of light, each photon carries a specific energy (E). In nonlinear crystals, photons with different energy can combine to generate a new photon totaling the energy. However, to have photons merging together is extremely hard. What we are working on, is to increase the possibility of photon-photon interactions using integrated photonic circuits on a microchip. This will benefit quantum information processing using individual photons, including absolutely secure communication and ultrafast computing.

Authors: Grace Juhn, Mengdi Zhao, Kejie Fang, Hao Tong, Woraprach Kusolthossakul, and Yunkai Wang

The Big Bang Theory is the theory of cosmic expansion that describes the evolution of the universe since it started 13.8 billion years ago. Right after the big bang, the universe was full of very energetic particles that eventually “cooled” down to form the structures that we see today in nature. Ten millionths of a second after the big bang, only a hot, dense state of matter called the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP) was present in the universe. The QGP is a highly energized form of matter that contains particles called quarks and gluons. Under normal conditions, quarks and gluons are bounded within protons, neutrons, and other particles. But in the QGP, the quarks and gluons can move freely. Thus, the QGP can be used to study the fundamental particles and interactions present in the early universe.

Authors: America Moreno Duran, Anabel Romero, Xiaoning Wang, Eric Thorsland

Modern problems in physics often give rise to equations that – if solved – would provide great insight into the natural world. However, these equations are often too difficult to solve, even with the most powerful computers currently in existence. We must resort to various approximation schemes to make progress. Given this reality, we must carefully assess how different approximations perform, relative to one another. We have attempted in this work to compare the performance of several methods within a single molecule of benzene.

Authors: Carlos F. Perez-Cruz, Yueqing Chang, Kiel Williams, and Lucas K. Wagner