This Ph.D. thesis deals with modeling of compound structures containing defects such as cracks or notches. Attention was mainly focused on structures manufactured out of metals and polymers. Presented results were obtained from experimental measurements, which were compared with theoretical estimations of the ultimate states of the compound structures. Theoretical estimations were obtained by the application of the generalized fracture mechanics, whose integral part is based on numerical solution provided by finite element method. The results of the Ph.D. thesis contribute both to prediction of the limit states of compound objects, and to verification of the validity of the generalized fracture mechanics.

Stainless steel is a metal material widely used in many industries because of its high tensile strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Machining stainless steel is challenging due to its high work hardening tendency, low thermal conductivity, and ductility of the material resulting in built-up edge formation. Machining stainless steel at lower cutting speeds must be performed with coolant, which adds to the cost of the process and increases concerns for the environment and the operator's health and safety. Industries such as the aerospace and die-mold industries demand high-speed machining to realize productivity targets. Therefore, a cermet tool material was selected for the present study because of its high temperature resistance, high bending strength, and fracture toughness. The study focused on investigating wear mechanisms and developing a coating on a cermet tool for dry high-speed machining stainless steel to increase tool life. The wear mechanisms of tools were investigated at a fixed cutting interval in relation to the tool's composition and microstructure. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to study the microstructure and identify elements on the tool. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to identify the phases and concentrations of key elements on the tool. The new advanced in-house coating was developed with Super Fine Cathode (SFC) technology on a Kobelco AIP-20 Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) coater. The micromechanical properties of the commercial coating and in-house coatings were investigated with the help of nanoindentation and scratch tests. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and SEM were used to investigate the coating microstructure and surface topography. An Alicona variable focus 3D microscope was used to investigate wear volume and wear behaviour. It was discovered that various secondary carbides used by manufacturers to manufacture cermet tools change the microstructure, which affects the machining performance of the cermet tool material. Microchipping at the depth of cut (DOC) causes catastrophic notch wear. It was found that the developed in-house coatings were able to delay the initial wear (microchipping), which improved the tool's life by 318%. This research contributes to meeting the manufacturing industry's challenging demand for dry-high speed machining with reduced manufacturing costs. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Cutting is the process of removing unwanted material from the bulk material to obtain the desired shape. Each metal material has unique mechanical properties that lead to various machining challenges. The cutting process is done with the help of a cutting tool that wears out during the process, and a coating layer is often used to protect the tool. Stainless steel 304 is a widely used material that is difficult to machine. This study includes a systematic approach to understanding the wear mechanisms of tools and existing commercial coatings during the dry machining of stainless steel 304. An in-house coating was developed and deposited on the selected cutting tool to protect it, reduce tool wear and extend its working life. The research results will help reduce machining costs by reducing tool and coolant costs and meet the current industry demand for dry high-speed machining. It will also reduce environmental impact by reducing waste and hazardous chemicals and addressing occupational health and safety concerns.

Optofluidics is a relatively new and exciting field that includes the integration of optical waveguides into microfluidic platforms. The purpose of this field of study is to miniaturize previously developed optical systems used for biological and chemical analysis with the end goal of placing bench-top optics into microscopic packages. Mundane optical alignment and sample manipulation procedures would then be intrinsic to the platform and allow measurements to be completed quickly and with reduced human interaction. Biosensors based on AntiResonant Reflecting Optical Waveguides (ARROWs) consist of hollow-core waveguides used for fluid sample manipulation and analysis, as well as solid-core waveguides used in interfacing external components located at the chip edges. Hollow-core ARROWs are particularly useful for their ability to provide specifically tailored analyte volumes that are easily configurable depending upon the target experiment. Adaptations of standard planar microfabrication methods allow for complex integrated ARROW designs. Integrated spectral filtering with high rejection can be implemented on-chip, removing the need for additional off-chip components and increasing device sensitivity. Additional techniques to increase device sensitivity and utility, such as hybrid ARROW platforms and optical manipulation of samples, are also explored.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

In radio frequency (RF), filtering is an essential part of RF transceivers. They are employed for different purposes of band selection, channel selection, interference cancellation, image rejection, etc. These are all translated in selecting the wanted signal while mitigating the rest. This can be performed by either selecting the desired frequency range by a band pass filter or rejecting the unwanted part by a band stop filter. Although there has been tremendous effort to design RF tunable filters, there is still lack of designs with frequency and bandwidth software-tuning capability at frequencies above 4 GHz. This prevents the implementation of Software Defined Radios (SDR) where software tuning is a critical part in supporting multiple standards and frequency bands. Designing a tunable integrated filter will not only assist in realization of SDR, but it also causes an enormous shrinkage in the size of the circuit by replacing the current bulky off-chip filters. The main purpose of this research is to design integrated band pass and band stop filters aimed to perform interference cancellation. In order to do so, two systems are proposed for this thesis. The first system is a band pass filter capable of frequency and band with tuning for C band frequency range (4-8 GHz) and is implemented in 0.13 µm BiCMOS technology. Frequency tunability is accomplished by using a variable capacitor (varactor) and bandwidth tuning is carried out by employing a negative transconductance cell to compensate for the loss of the elements. Additional circuitry is added to the band pass filter to enhance the selectivity of the filter. The second system is a band stop filter (notch) with the same capability as the band pass filter in terms of tuning. This system is implemented in C band, similar to its band stop counterpart and is capable of tuning its depth by using a negative transconductance in an LC tank. A negative feedback is added to the circuit to improve the bandwidth. While implemented in the same process as the band pass filter, it only employs CMOS transistors since it is generally more attractive due to its lower cost and scalability. Both of the systems mentioned use a varactor for changing the center frequency which is a nonlinear element. Therefore, the nonlinearity of it is modelled using two different methods of nonlinear feedback and Volterra series in order to gain further understanding of the nonlinear process taking place in the LC tank. After the validation of the models proposed using Cadence Virtuoso simulator, two methods of design and tuning are suggested to improve the linearity of the system. After post layout-extraction, the band pass filter is capable of Q tuning in the range of 3 to 270 and higher. With the noise figure of 10 to 14 dB and input 1-dB compression point as high as 2 dBm, the system shows a reasonably good performance along its operating frequency of 4 to 8 GHz. The band stop filter which is designed in the same frequency band can achieve better than 55 dB of rejection with the noise figure of 6.7 to 8.8 dB and 1-dB compression point of -4 dBm. With the power consumption of 39 to 70 mW, the band stop filter can be used in a low power receiver to suppress unwanted signals. The technique used in the band stop filter can be applied to higher frequency ranges if the circuit is implemented in a more advanced silicon technology. Implementing the mentioned filters in a receiver along with other elements of low noise amplifiers, mixers, etc. would be a major step toward full implementation of SDR systems. Studying the linearity theory of varactors would help future designers identify the sources of nonlinearity and suggest more efficient tuning techniques to improve the linearity of RF electronic systems. / Master of Science

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is an autosomal dominant predisposition to cancer in neurological tissues, the kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, and liver, including neurological hemangioblastoma (HB), pheochromocytoma (PCC), pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNET), pancreatic and renal cysts, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The disease process follows Knudson's two-hit model, requiring spontaneous loss or mutation of a normal VHL tumor suppressor allele to induce expression of the disease. VHL syndrome principally involves dysregulation of oxygen sensing pathways including the Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF)-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A) and HIF-Erythropoietin (EPO) pathways. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data from our previously published experiments revealed a potentially novel VEGF-A splice variant with excision of the VEGF Receptor-1 (VEGFR-1)/Flt-1 binding domain, rendering this isoform resistant to native down-regulation. Additionally, phenotypic changes were observed in adult VHL mutant mice, specifically very red appearing extremities with prominently visible vasculature. In order to determine the etiology of this phenotype, we observed red blood cell count, Epo gene expression levels, and arterialization of the blood vessels in these experimental mice as compared to littermate controls. Current research into the VEGF-A isoform is ongoing in the lab, and preliminary evidence for the etiology of the apparent chronic erythema phenotype is inconclusive due to lack of experimental replicates due to COVID-19 quarantine orders. / Master of Science / Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is characterized by cancer development primarily in the brain and spinal cord, kidneys, adrenal glands, pancreas, and liver. VHL syndrome involves mutations which render the VHL gene dysfunctional. Since the VHL gene's normal role is one of preventing cancer development, sensing oxygen levels, and impacting blood vessel development, it follows that the loss of this gene results in tumor development with a rich blood vessel network. One of the downstream effectors of this process is a signaling molecule called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A (VEGF-A). Our lab found a unique variant of VEGF-A, which may be overactive in the body in the setting of VHL disease. Additionally, we noted that our VHL mutant mice turned very red, and we sought to identify the biological cause of this phenomenon. In order to determine the cause of this redness, we studied red blood cell counts and their regulatory gene (Erythropoietin, EPO), as well as potential blood vessel abnormalities using high-power microscopy.

Libyan Ministry of Higher Education. / The full text will be available at the end of the embargo: 28th Nov 2024 / Subtitle: Simulation and Measurement of Reconfigurable Antennas for Cognitive Radio, UWB Applications, Investigation of Antenna Gain and Efficiency, Frequency Tuneable Range, Antenna Radiation Performance and Antenna Design Optimization using Parametric Studies as well as using MIMO antenna for wireless body area networks