Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Evaluation Of Geologic Co2 Sequestration Potential And Co2 Enhanced Oil Recovery In Kentucky, Thomas M. Parris, Stephen F. Greb, Brandon C. Nuttall

Report of Investigations--KGS

Kentucky gets approximately 95 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants, which produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂). In 2005, Kentucky coal-fired plants vented 102.8 million short tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The economic vitality of the state will be affected by its ability to develop and apply a portfolio of technologies that will mitigate input of CO₂ into the atmosphere. One technology that has the potential to assist in this challenge is geologic carbon storage, which captures CO₂ at point sources and injects it into deep rock strata that can store …

Geology And Structure Of The Rough Creek Area, Western Kentucky, William D. Johnson Jr., Howard R. Schwalb

Bulletin--KGS

The Rough Creek area is a rectangular area about 113 mi east to west and 35 mi north to south encompassing about 3,900 mi² in west-central and western Kentucky. The Ohio River delineates most of the western border with Illinois and locally also part of the northern border with Indiana. The northeast corner of the area is about 27 mi southwest of Louisville. The principal cities are Owensboro and Henderson.

The Precambrian basement has been penetrated in only two wells in western Kentucky at depths somewhat greater than 14,000 ft. Basement is projected to underlie much of the area …

Progress Towards The Synthesis Of Type B Polycyclic Polyprenylated Acylphloroglucinol 7-Epi-Clusianone, Pushpa Suresh Jayasekara Mudiyanselage

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Plants of the family Guttiferae produce polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs), which have interesting biological activities including anticancer and antibacterial properties. The main structural features of PPAPs comprise of bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane-2,4,9-triketone with one acyl group together with prenyl, geranyl, or other C₁₀H₁₇ groups. 7-epi-Clusianone, a type B PPAP with C-7 endo stereochemistry, is being approached by establishing the cis relationship with C(4) allyl group and C(2) methyl ester in the early stage of the synthesis. Then C(2) methyl ester is converted to alkyne aldehyde and syn reduction followed by intramolecular aldol reaction to give bicyclo[3.3.1]nonane structure with …

Soil Water And Crop Growth Processes In A Farmer's Field, Susmitha Surendran Nambuthiri

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The study was aimed to provide information on local biomass development during crop growth using ground based optical sensors and to incorporate the local crop status to a crop growth simulation model to improve understanding on inherent variability of crop field. The experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field located near Princeton in Caldwell County, Western Kentucky. Data collection on soil, crop and weather variables was carried out in the farm from 2006 December to 2008 October. During this period corn (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum sp) were grown in the field. A 450 m …

Tunneling Spectroscopy Study Of Calcium Ruthenate, Anthony Bautista

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The ruthenates are perhaps one of the most diverse group of materials known up to date. These compounds exhibit a wide array of behaviors ranging from the exotic pwave superconductivity in Sr₂RuO₄, to the itinerant ferromagnetism in SrRuO₃, and the Mott-insulating behavior in Ca₂RuO₄. One of the most intriguing compounds belonging to this group is Ca₃Ru₂O₇ which is known to undergo an antiferromagnetic ordering at 56K and an insulating transition at 48K. Most intriguing, however, is the behavior displayed by this compound in the presence …

Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Annual Technical Report Fy 2009, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

KWRRI Annual Technical Reports (USGS’s 104b Grant Program)

The 2009 Annual Technical Report for Kentucky consolidates reporting requirements of the Section 104(b) base grant award into a single document that includes: 1) a synopsis of each research project conducted with grant funds during the period, 2) citations for related publications, reports, and presentations, 3) a description of information transfer activities, 4) a summary of student support during the reporting period, and 5) notable awards and achievements during the year.

General Flips And The Cd-Index, Daniel J. Wells

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

We generalize bistellar operations (often called flips) on simplicial manifolds to a notion of general flips on PL-spheres. We provide methods for computing the cd-index of these general flips, which is the change in the cd-index of any sphere to which the flip is applied. We provide formulas and relations among flips in certain classes, paying special attention to the classic case of bistellar flips. We also consider questions of "flip-connecticity", that is, we show that any two polytopes in certain classes can be connected via a sequence of flips in an appropriate class.

Measurement Of Single Spin Asymmetries In Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering Reaction N↑(E, Éπ+)X At Jefferson Lab, Kalyan C. Allada

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

What constitutes the spin of the nucleon? The answer to this question is still not completely understood. Although we know the longitudinal quark spin content very well, the data on the transverse quark spin content of the nucleon is still very sparse. Semi-inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS) using transversely polarized targets provide crucial information on this aspect. The data that is currently available was taken with proton and deuteron targets.

The E06-010 experiment was performed at Jefferson Lab in Hall-A to measure the single spin asymmetries in the SIDIS reaction n^↑(e,éπ^±/K^±)X using transversely polarized …

Spectroscopy And Structures Of Metal-Cyclic Hydrocarbon Complexes, Jung Sup Lee

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Metal-cyclic hydrocarbon complexes were prepared in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source and studied by single-photon zero electron kinetic energy (ZEKE) and IR-UV resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectroscopy. The ionization energies and vibrational frequencies of the metal complexes were measured from the ZEKE spectra. Metal-ligand bonding and low-lying electronic states of the neutral and ionized complexes were analyzed by combining the ZEKE measurements with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition, C-H stretching frequencies were measured from the R2PI spectra.

In this dissertation, metal complexes of 1, 3, 5, 7-cyclo-octatetraene (COT), toluene, p-xylene, mesitylene, hexamethylbenzene, biphenyl, naphthalene, pyrene, perylene, and …

15N Solid-State Nmr Detection Of Flavin Perturbation By H-Bonding In Models And Enzyme Active Sites, Dongtao Cui

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Massey and Hemmerich proposed that the different reactivities displayed by different flavoenzymes could be achieved as a result of dominance of different flavin ring resonance structures in different binding sites. Thus, the FMN cofactor would engage in different reactions when it had different electronic structures. To test this proposal and understand how different protein sites could produce different flavin electronic structures, we are developing solid-state NMR as a means of characterizing the electronic state of the flavin ring, via the ¹⁵N chemical shift tensors of the ring N atoms. These provide information on the frontier orbitals. We propose that …

Single View Reconstruction For Human Face And Motion With Priors, Xianwang Wang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Single view reconstruction is fundamentally an under-constrained problem. We aim to develop new approaches to model human face and motion with model priors that restrict the space of possible solutions. First, we develop a novel approach to recover the 3D shape from a single view image under challenging conditions, such as large variations in illumination and pose. The problem is addressed by employing the techniques of non-linear manifold embedding and alignment. Specifically, the local image models for each patch of facial images and the local surface models for each patch of 3D shape are learned using a non-linear dimensionality reduction …

Near-Field Radiative Transfer: Thermal Radiation, Thermophotovoltaic Power Generation And Optical Characterization, Mathieu Francoeur

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on near-field radiative transfer, which can be defined as the discipline concerned with energy transfer via electromagnetic waves at sub-wavelength distances. Three specific subjects related to this discipline are investigated, namely nearfield thermal radiation, nanoscale-gap thermophotovoltaic (nano-TPV) power generation and optical characterization. An algorithm for the solution of near-field thermal radiation problems in one-dimensional layered media is developed, and several tests are performed showing the accuracy, consistency and versatility of the procedure. The possibility of tuning near-field radiative heat transfer via thin films supporting surface phononpolaritons (SPhPs) in the infrared is afterwards investigated via the computation of …

Algorithms For Upper Bounds Of Low Dimensional Group Homology, Joshua D. Roberts

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A motivational problem for group homology is a conjecture of Quillen that states, as reformulated by Anton, that the second homology of the general linear group over R = Z[1/p; ζ_p], for p an odd prime, is isomorphic to the second homology of the group of units of R, where the homology calculations are over the field of order p. By considering the group extension spectral sequence applied to the short exact sequence 1 → SL₂ → GL₂ → GL₁ → 1 we show that the calculation of the homology …

Upper Bounds On The Splitting Of The Eigenvalues, Phuoc L. Ho

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

We establish the upper bounds for the difference between the first two eigenvalues of the relative and absolute eigenvalue problems. Relative and absolute boundary conditions are generalization of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions on functions to differential forms respectively. The domains are taken to be a family of symmetric regions in Rⁿ consisting of two cavities joined by a straight thin tube. Our operators are Hodge Laplacian operators acting on k-forms given by the formula Δ^(k) = dδ+δd, where d and δ are the exterior derivatives and the codifferentials respectively. A result …

In Vivo Oxidative Stress In Alzheimer Disease Brain And A Mouse Model Thereof: Effects Of Lipid Asymmetry And The Single Methionine Residue Of Amyloid-Β Peptide, Miranda Lu Bader Lange

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Studies presented in this dissertation were conducted to gain more insight into the role of phospholipid asymmetry and amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced oxidative stress in brain of subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD). AD is a largely sporadic, age-associated neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by the vast, progressive loss of memory and cognition commonly in populations over the age of ~65 years, with the exception of those with familial AD, which develop AD symptoms as early as ~30 years-old. Neuropathologically, both AD and FAD can be characterized by synapse and neuronal cell loss in conjunction with accumulation of …

The No. 5 Block In Eastern Kentucky: A Critical Re-Examination Of The Petrology With Special Attention To The Origin Of Inertinite Macerals In The Splint Lithotypes, Allison Ranae Richardson

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Microbes, including fungi and bacteria, and insects are responsible for the consumption and subsequent degradation of plant materials into humus. These microbes directly and indirectly affect the physical and chemical characteristics of coal macerals. Efforts to understand and determine the origins of inertinite macerals are largely misrepresented in the literature, conforming to a single origin of fire. This study focuses on the variability of physical and inferred chemical differences observed petrographically between the different inertinite macerals and discusses the multiple pathways plant material may take to form and or degrade these macerals.

Petrographic results show that fungal activity plays a …

Latest Quaternary Paleoclimate Reconstruction Utilizing Stable Isotopic And Trace Element Proxies In A Stalagmite From Culverson Creek Cave, West Virginia, Ashley Nicole Gilbert

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A reconstruction of regional climate variability in southern West Virginia that spans the last glacial/interglacial transition is presented. Paleoclimate interpretations obtained from the 50-cm long stalagmite provide key insights regarding the timing, magnitude, and forcing mechanisms responsible for past climate variability. Stable isotopic (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) and trace element (Ba, Sr, Mg) signatures from samples contiguously milled along the growth-axis of a ²³⁰Th-dated stalagmite which grew between approximately 20 and 5 thousand years before present (kyr BP) provide critical constraints for above-cave mean annual temperature, seasonality of moisture mean annual precipitation, and potential vegetation shifts. …

Building Sustainable Societies: Exploring Sustainability Policy And Practice In The Age Of High Consumption, Cindy Isenhour

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is an attempt to examine how humans in wealthy, post-industrial urban contexts understand sustainability and respond to their concerns given their sphere of influence. I focus specifically on sustainable consumption policy and practice in Sweden, where concerns for sustainability and consumer-based responses are strong. This case raises interesting questions about the relative strength of sustainability movements in different cultural and geo-political contexts as well as the specific factors that have motivated the movement toward sustainable living in Sweden.

The data presented here supports the need for multigenic theories of sustainable consumerism. Rather than relying on dominant theories of …

Opioid-Cannabinoid Codrugs With Enhanced Analgesic And Pharmacokinetic Profile, Harpreet Kaur Dhooper

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The central hypothesis of the dissertation is that “the design and synthesis of a codrug of an opiate and a cannabinoid can be achieved which is stable in the gastrointestinal tract and shows a superior pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profile when compared to a physical mixture of the two parent drugs.” To prove the hypothesis, a series of novel codrugs were prepared by conjugation of the opiate drug codeine with Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC), cannabidiol, abn-cannabidiol and an opiate prodrug 3-O-acetylmorphine with Δ⁹-THC. Codeine-cannabinoid codrugs were evaluated for analgesic activity in the rat after oral administration. The …

Non-Portland Cement Activation Of Blast Furnace Slag, Anne Elizabeth Oberlink

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to produce a “greener” cement from granulated ground blast furnace slag (GGBS) using non-Portland cement activation. By eventually developing “greener” cement, the ultimate goal of this research project would be to reduce the amount of Portland cement used in concrete, therefore reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere during cement production.

This research studies the behavior of mineral binders that do not contain Portland cement but instead comprise GGBS activated by calcium compounds or fluidized bed combustion (FBC) bottom ash. The information described in this paper was collected from experiments including …

Hydraulic Geometry Relationships And Regional Curves For The Inner And Outer Bluegrass Regions Of Kentucky, Ruth Roseann Brockman

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Hydraulic geometry relationships and regional curves are used in natural channel design to assist engineers, biologists, and fluvial geomorphologists in the efforts undertaken to ameliorate previous activities that have diminished, impaired or destroyed the structure and function of stream systems. Bankfull channel characteristics were assessed for 14 United States Geological Survey (USGS) gaged sites in the Inner Bluegrass and 15 USGS gaged sites in the Outer Bluegrass Regions of Kentucky. Hydraulic geometry relationships and regional curves were developed for the aforementioned regions.

Analysis of the regression relationships showed that bankfull discharge is a good explanatory variable for bankfull parameters such …

Characterization Of Soil Carbon Stabilization In Long-Term Row-Cropped Agro-Ecosystems, Soraya Patricia Alvarado-Ochoa

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Soil organic matter (SOM) is a dynamic soil property, sensitive and responsive to many factors. The possibility of increasing soil carbon (C) sequestration by changing land use and management practices has been of great interest recently due to concerns with global changes in the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) balance. Nonetheless, as a result of the complex dynamics of SOM, there is still the need for SOM characterization procedures capable of monitoring SOM stabilization, taking into account all the factors involved.

This study characterized SOM stabilization as affected by management practices in three long-term field experiments, considering physical, chemical …

Summary Of Kentucky River Watershed Watch 2010 Water Sampling Results, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

Kentucky River Watershed Watch

No abstract provided.

Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel Microdomes Integrated With Genetically Engineered Proteins For High-Throughput Screening Of Pharmaceuticals, Sylvia Daunert, Sapna K. Deo, Jason Douglas Ehrick, Tyler William Browning, Leonidas G. Bachas

Chemistry Faculty Patents

A hydrogel microdome that can swell in response to a stimuli or target molecule is formed by polymerizing a mixture comprising a monomer capable of forming a hydrogel with a biopolymer. An array of hydrogel microdomes can be formed on a substrate by microspotting the mixture and polymerizing. The array can be used for high-throughput screening of analytes as well as for use as an actuator and biosensor using the swelling property of the hydrogel.

Dusty Structure Around Type-I Active Galactic Nuclei: Clumpy Torus Narrow-Line Region And Near-Nucleus Hot Dust, Rivay Mor, Hagai Netzer, Moshe Elitzur

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We fitted Spitzer/IRS ~ 2-35 μm spectra of 26 luminous quasi-stellar objects in an attempt to define the main emission components. Our model has three major components: a clumpy torus, dusty narrow-line region (NLR) clouds, and a blackbody-like dust. The models utilize the clumpy torus of Nenkova et al. and are the first to allow its consistent check in type-I active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Single torus models and combined torus-NLR models fail to fit the spectra of most sources, but three-component models adequately fit the spectra of all sources. We present torus inclination, cloud distribution, covering factor, and …

Photo Highlights Of The 10th Kentucky Grazing Conference, Kentucky Grazing Conference

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Forage Spokesman Information, Tom Flowers, Vince Rawe, Caldwell Willig

Kentucky Grazing Conference

No abstract provided.

Animal Welfare--Animal Rights: Role Of Grazing, Roy Burris

Kentucky Grazing Conference

The care and handling of farm animals has drawn a lot of media attention lately. Some well-publicized events have given our industry the proverbial black-eye and led to a chain of events that has left livestock producers feeling very vulnerable to negative attacks. Although these events have been very isolated, they have had some very farreaching effects. Could they have been prevented? How? What do we do now?

Extended Grazing And Reduced Stored Feed, Edward N. Ballard

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Feed costs represent the major cost in most livestock production systems. A recently completed analysis of 225 Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) Beef Cow Records on herds in Illinois and Iowa showed that feed cost was the overriding factor determining profitability, explaining over 57 percent of the herd-to-herd variation. Typically the cost of supplying nutrients to ruminant livestock is much greater using harvested feedstuffs as opposed to grazing pastures or crop residues. The primary function of a grassland farm is to convert solar energy to marketable livestock products in the most efficient manner. The fewer steps between the animal product and …

Stored Feed Needs: How Much? What Quality?, Jeff Lehmkuhler

Kentucky Grazing Conference

Feed resources are the largest variable expense in beef production systems outside the initial investment in the livestock. When we look at Standardized Performance Analysis (SPA) information from Texas and Minnesota, states that are at the extreme from an environment stance, the projected costs for maintaining a beef cow are strikingly similar. It is important to note that these costs include all expenses and opportunity costs. Getting back to the SPA information, in 2007 the annual cost to maintain a cow in Texas was determined to be roughly $590 while the Minnesota value was near $610 or only about $20/cow …