Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Electrodeposition Of Hydrogen Molybdenum Tungsten Bronze Films And Electrochemical Reduction Of Carbon Dioxide., Mohammad Bajunaid

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The foremost aim for performing this study was to focus on the electrodeposition of mixed hydrogen molybdenum tungsten bronze films, which have the potential for e^– transfer interactions carrying out the reduction of carbon dioxide. A yellow peroxymolybdic tungstate solution was prepared and used for the electrodeposition of hydrogen molybdenum tungsten bronze films on conductive carbon paper. Electrodeposition was carried out at -2.0 V from 20 - 120 minutes to determine the effect of deposition time on film thickness and CO₂ reduction. These films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The deposited films served as a working electrode …

Constructions & Optimization In Classical Real Analysis Theorems, Abderrahim Elallam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis takes a closer look at three fundamental Classical Theorems in Real Analysis. First, for the Bolzano Weierstrass Theorem, we will be interested in constructing a convergent subsequence from a non-convergent bounded sequence. Such a subsequence is guaranteed to exist, but it is often not obvious what it is, e.g., if an = sin n. Next, the H¨older Inequality gives an upper bound, in terms of p ∈ [1,∞], for the the integral of the product of two functions. We will find the value of p that gives the best (smallest) upper-bound, focusing on the Beta and Gamma integrals. …

Investigating The Role Of Charge Separation In Triplet State Formation In Zinc Dipyrrin Photosensitizers, Irene Y. Dzaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

About 85% of the world’s energy is derived from non-renewable sources—coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Solar photocatalysis is one way to potentially generate cheap renewable fuels by harnessing energy from the sun using a photosensitizer and converting it into chemical energy. The efficiency of a photosensitizer depends on its capacity to form a prolonged triplet excited state. Zinc dipyrrin complexes have the potential to be efficient sensitizers for reductive photochemistry, but their ability to form long-lived triplet excited states still needs extensive research. The overall aim of this research is to probe the role charge separation plays in the formation …

Morphology And Paleoecology Of Nimravides Galiani (Felidae) And Barbourofelis Loveorum (Barbourofelidae) From The Late Miocene Of Florida, Christianne Ormsby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Saber-toothed remains have been found worldwide throughout the Cenozoic, until the end of the Pleistocene. One site from Alachua County, Florida preserves a diverse Miocene fauna, including the machairodontine Nimravides galiani (Felidae) and the saber-toothed Barbourofelis loveorum (Barbourofelidae). Both taxa roamed what would become the Love Bone Bed site during the Late Miocene (Late Clarendonian NALMA), ~ 9.5 Mya. Previous descriptions focused on crania; yet the large sample of postcrania remained undescribed. Hence, this project includes a detailed postcranial description of both taxa. Results show that N. galiani resembles extant felids, whereas B. loveorum resembles Smilodon fatalis, as well …

Performance Comparison Of Multiple Imputation Methods For Quantitative Variables For Small And Large Data With Differing Variability, Vincent Onyame

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Missing data continues to be one of the main problems in data analysis as it reduces sample representativeness and consequently, causes biased estimates. Multiple imputation methods have been established as an effective method of handling missing data. In this study, we examined multiple imputation methods for quantitative variables on twelve data sets with varied sizes and variability that were pseudo generated from an original data. The multiple imputation methods examined are the predictive mean matching, Bayesian linear regression and linear regression, non-Bayesian in the MICE (Multiple Imputation Chain Equation) package in the statistical software, R. The parameter estimates generated from …

Machine Learning Approaches To Dribble Hand-Off Action Classification With Sportvu Nba Player Coordinate Data, Dembe Stephanos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recently, strategies of National Basketball Association teams have evolved with the skillsets of players and the emergence of advanced analytics. One of the most effective actions in dynamic offensive strategies in basketball is the dribble hand-off (DHO). This thesis proposes an architecture for a classification pipeline for detecting DHOs in an accurate and automated manner. This pipeline consists of a combination of player tracking data and event labels, a rule set to identify candidate actions, manually reviewing game recordings to label the candidates, and embedding player trajectories into hexbin cell paths before passing the completed training set to the classification …

Theranostic Nanoparticles Folic Acid-Carbon Dots-Drug(S) For Cancer, Godwin Kweku Babanyinah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to prepare theranostic nanoparticles (NPs) that are expected to increase cancer diagnostics and therapeutic efficacy. We prepared the NPs constituting carbon dots (CDs) as an imaging agent, folic acid as a targeting agent, doxorubicin (DOX), or gemcitabine (GEM) as chemotherapy agents. The NPs include noncovalent FA-CDs-DOX, covalent CDs-FA-DOX, and covalent FA-CDs-GEM. Through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, the fabrication of these NPs was confirmed. It was discovered that the high drug loading efficiency is the noncovalent series while the high drug loading capacity is the covalent series The in-vitro pH-dependent drug release data indicate …

Plprepare: A Grammar Checker For Challenging Cases, Jacob Hoyos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates one of the Polish language’s most arbitrary cases: the genitive masculine inanimate singular. It collects and ranks several guidelines to help language learners discern its proper usage and also introduces a framework to provide detailed feedback regarding arbitrary cases. The study tests this framework by implementing and evaluating a hybrid grammar checker called PLPrepare. PLPrepare performs similarly to other grammar checkers and is able to detect genitive case usages and provide feedback based on a number of error classifications.

Examining Summertime Melt And Temperatures In The North Pacific Cordillera, Ingalise Kindstedt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Temperature changes in glaciated regions are of immediate concern for estimates of future sea level rise. Alaska and the surrounding region contain over 40 mm of potential sea level rise in its many alpine glaciers, which are experiencing some of the highest rates of mass loss globally. However, records of both past and present temperatures in the region’s alpine sectors are sparse and limited in temporal and spatial extent. Here I examine the application of MODIS land surface temperatures and layers of refrozen melt in ice cores as temperature indicators in the St. Elias and Alaska Ranges. First, I find …

The Effect Of Initial Conditions On The Weather Research And Forecasting Model, Aaron D. Baker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modeling our atmosphere and determining forecasts using numerical methods has been a challenge since the early 20th Century. Most models use a complex dynamical system of equations that prove difficult to solve by hand as they are chaotic by nature. When computer systems became more widely adopted and available, approximating the solution of these equations, numerically, became easier as computational power increased. This advancement in computing has caused numerous weather models to be created and implemented across the world. However a challenge of approximating these solutions accurately still exists as each model have varying set of equations and variables to …

Characterization And Delineation Of Potential Evaporite Geohazards Using Electrical Resistivity Methods Along Fm 2185, Culberson County, Texas, Lenora Diane Perkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extensive karst development within the Delaware Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico poses a significant geohazard threat to infrastructure. Dissolution of regional evaporite strata have led to manifestations of karst geohazard phenomena including sinkholes, subsidence features, and caves. The study area is located within the Gypsum Plain in Culberson County, Texas, and includes outcrops of Castile and Rustler strata that host gypsum karst geohazards. Land reconnaissance surveys conducted during the summer of 2019 documented numerous surficial manifestations of karst features proximal to Farm to Market Road 2185 (FM 2185). In combination with traditional survey techniques, electrical resistivity methods …

Synthesis And Photophysical Studies Of Nitrogen Heterocycles Containing Benzothiazines, Benzothiazoles, Indoles And Quinolines, Ealin N. Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen heterocycles such as quinolines, benzothiazines, benzothiazoles, and indoles are widely found in nature and these compounds have significance in organic and medicinal chemistry, biochemistry as well as materials science. Monomeric units of eumelanin (brominated 5,6- dimethoxyindolecarboxylate derivatives) were synthesized and regioselectively functionalized to form three monobrominated, three dibrominated, and a tribrominated variant using thermally induced nitrene insertions. After deprotection, three monobrominated 5,6-dihydroxyindole carboxylate (DHICA) derivatives were synthesized, and their UV-Vis absorbance was compared to DHICA. Bominated DHICA derivatives showed similar λmax as DHICA (~330 nm) but did not show aerial oxidation as evident by absence of chromophore absorbance at …

Gravel Geology And Muskoxen Paleontology Of A Late Pleistocene Fossil Site In Saltville, Virginia, Nickolas A. Brand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two distinct studies within the Saltville Valley of southwestern Virginia revealed insights into local Pleistocene geology and paleontology. A variety of analytical techniques were applied to gravel deposits within the paleontological site of SV-5/7 that revealed this unit is very poorly sorted, has a subangular matrix, and contains significant components of silt and sand in addition to rounded cobbles. These results suggest that rather than being deposited by fluvial processes as previously suggested, these gravels were likely the result of one or many debris flows. Additionally, the identity of fossil muskoxen from Saltville was reassessed using cranial and dental material. …

Zeta Function Regularization And Its Relationship To Number Theory, Stephen Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While the "path integral" formulation of quantum mechanics is both highly intuitive and far reaching, the path integrals themselves often fail to converge in the usual sense. Richard Feynman developed regularization as a solution, such that regularized path integrals could be calculated and analyzed within a strictly physics context. Over the past 50 years, mathematicians and physicists have retroactively introduced schemes for achieving mathematical rigor in the study and application of regularized path integrals. One such scheme was introduced in 2007 by the mathematicians Klaus Kirsten and Paul Loya. In this thesis, we reproduce the Kirsten and Loya approach to …

Study Of Neutral Hadron Production In A High Intensity Particle Physics Experiment., Jake W. Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I present independent measurements of the multiplicities, R, of π⁰ and η mesons produced in annihilation interactions of electrons and positrons at a center-of-mass energy of 10.54 GeV. Data were collected using the BaBar detector at the PEP-II storage rings located at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California. Both mesons have a decay mode to two photons, which is used to identify them and measure their production per event. I find R(π⁰) = 2.8±0.3 per event and R(η) = 0.25±0.03 per event. I also present my contributions to …

Image Analysis Of Charged Bimodal Colloidal Systems In Microgravity., Adam J. Cecil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Colloids are suspensions of two or more phases and have been topics of research for advanced, tunable materials for decades. Stabilization of colloids is typically attributed to thermodynamic mechanisms; however, recent studies have identified transport or entropic mechanisms that can potentially stabilize a thermodynamically unstable colloidal system. In this study, suspensions of silsesquioxane microparticles and zirconia nanoparticles were dispersed in a nitric acid solution and allowed to aggregate for 8-12 days in microgravity aboard the International Space Station. The suspensions were subsequently imaged periodically at 2.5x magnification. Due to the inadequacy of existing image analysis programs, the python package “Colloidspy” …

Presence Of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 In Urban Streams Receiving Sewer Overflow, Louisville, Kentucky, Usa., Cullen Hunter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pathogens may enter surface waters as they are shed in human feces and potentially delivered to surface waters via sewer overflows, particularly in the eastern United States. This study examined of the presence of fecal indicators in two forks of Beargrass Creek in Louisville, Kentucky. Surface water grab samples (N=30), sediment samples, water quality, and a paired wastewater surveillance study were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in a single stream sample despite ubiquitous presence of the virus within the area in wastewater and consistent evidence of a human fecal indicator. These findings demonstrate the need for more green and gray infrastructure …

Estimating Cumulative Incidence Rate On Interval Censored Data In An Illness-Death Model., Chen Qian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phase IV clinical trials are designed to monitor long-term side effects caused overtime by the medical treatment. For instance, in advanced primary cancer treatment, childhood cancer survivors are often at risk of developing undesired events, such as cardiotoxicity, during their adulthood. Such problems could be due to their cancer or the treatment they received for their cancer such as radiation or intensive chemotherapy. Cardiotoxicity can be diagnosed with electrophysiology with measurements of fraction shortening, afterload, etc. Often the primary focus of a study could be on estimating the cumulative incidence of a particular outcome of interest such as cardiotoxicity. However, …

Observational Studies In Group Testing And Potential Applications., Alexander Christopher Noll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of group testing to identify individuals with targeted outcomes in a population can greatly improve the efficiency, speed, and cost effectiveness of testing a population for an outcome, or at least for identifying the prevalence of an outcome in a population. The implementation of causal inference techniques can provide the basis for an observational study that would allow an investigator to gather estimates for treatment effectiveness if group testing was conducted on the population in a certain way. This thesis examines a simulation of the above outlined principles in order to demonstrate a potential application for determining treatment …

Ga-Based Iii-V Semiconductor Photoanodes For Solar Fuels And Novel Techniques To Investigate Their Photocorrosion., Sahar Pishgar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Solar energy is one of the most abundant renewable energy sources. However, the diurnal variation of the sun as well as seasonal and weather effects, limits the widespread global implementation of solar energy. Thus, Cost-effective energy storage is critical to overcome the intermittent nature of solar energy available on the earth. Photoelectrolysis of water to oxygen and hydrogen fuel is a promising large-scale solution to store intermittent solar energy in a dense and portable form. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting, or artificial photosynthesis, research strives to develop a semiconductor photoelectrode with both high efficiency and long-term stability. Semiconductors of the III–V class …

Simulation Of The Interaction Between Striated Muscle Unc-45 And Transcription Factor Gata-4, Drake Alexander Duncan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Striated Muscle UNC-45, also known as UNC-45b, is an important protein that acts as a chaperone for myosin in cardiac and skeletal muscles, binding to myosin at its C-terminal UCS domain and regulating its assembly into thick filaments and sarcomeric structures. The UCS domain contains a large loop that is believed to be the first point of interaction between myosin and UNC-45b. GATA-4 is an essential transcription factor that facilitates transcription of several genes in cardiac development, particularly alpha-heavy chain myosin in heart tissue. Recently, studies have shown that there is interaction of GATA-4 with UNC-45b and that GATA-4 binds …

A Multifunctional Solution Composed Of Tmpyp, 1,5-Dhn, And Fe(Iii) Ions That Produces Reactive Oxygen Species (Ros) In Aerobic, Anaerobic, And H2o2 Environments, Aqeeb Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become a widely popular therapeutic approach for treating various types of cancer over the past several decades. PDT utilizes a photosensitizer, visible light, and oxygen, to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can be used to treat cancer and inhibit growth of bacteria. In this study, a multifunctional solution that is comprised of Fe(III) ions, cationic meso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphine tetrachloride (TMPyP), and 1,5-dihydroxynapthalene (1,5-DHN), was shown to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet oxygen (¹O₂) or hydroxyl radicals (ȮH) in aerobic or anaerobic environments, respectively, and in both environments, 1,5-DHN was oxidized …

An Eemd Approach To Non-Stationary, Non-Linear Environmental Long- And Short-Term Time Series Data Of Charleston, Sc, With A 2009 Flood Anomaly Case Study, Dylan David Carpenter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Toward Improving Understanding Of The Structure And Biophysics Of Glycosaminoglycans, Elizabeth K. Whitmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are the linear carbohydrate components of proteoglycans (PGs) that mediate PG bioactivities, including signal transduction, tissue morphogenesis, and matrix assembly. To understand GAG function, it is important to understand GAG structure and biophysics at atomic resolution. This is a challenge for existing experimental and computational methods because GAGs are heterogeneous, conformationally complex, and polydisperse, containing up to 200 monosaccharides. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations come close to overcoming this challenge but are only feasible for short GAG polymers. To address this problem, we developed an algorithm that applies conformations from unbiased all-atom explicit-solvent MD simulations of short GAG polymers …

Std Prevention: An Educational Intervention For Exotic Dancers, Maria Delurdes Dehoyos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Centers for Disease Control and prevention reported nearly 2.3 million STD cases diagnosed in 2017, and the number is continuing to rise. San Antonio, Texas, is ranked third in the state of Texas with the highest STD rates and leading in the state with congenital syphilis. There is an increased risk for contracting STDs working in the sex industry. There are little to no studies pertaining to any educational interventions offered to exotic dancers to increase personal knowledge on STDs. This research has focused on an educational intervention offered by a nurse practitioner to exotic dancers in two adults-only …

Analysis Of Metabolites And Therapeutics For Toxic Inhaled Agent Exposure, Abigail Bemah Donkor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The inhalation of toxic inhaled agents (TIAs) such as methyl isocyanate and cyanide can compromise an individual’s general health due to their extremely toxic nature. Nonetheless, these gases are used extensively in the electronics, chemical, welding, electroplating industries, etc., increasing the risk of exposure to both civilians and industrial workers. It is therefore very crucial to develop analytical methods for TIA metabolites and therapeutic agents. Methyl isocyanate (MIC), an intermediate in the synthesis of carbamate pesticides is a toxic industrial chemical that causes irritation and damage to the eyes, respiratory tracts, and skin. Due to its reactivity with proteins, protein …

The Role Of Symbiotic Algae In The Acclimatization Of Oculina Arbuscula To Ocean Acidification, Erin M. Arneson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ocean acidification (OA) caused by CO₂ emissions is projected to decrease seawater pH to 7.6 by 2100. Scleractinian corals are at risk because excess H⁺ in seawater binds to carbonate (CO₃^2-), reducing its availability for CaCO₃ skeletons. The energy demand for skeletal growth increases as pH decreases because corals must actively purge excess H⁺ from their seawater sourced calcifying fluid to maintain high calcification rates. In scleractinian corals it is hypothesized that photosynthesis by symbiotic algae is critical to meet this increased energy demand. To test this hypothesis, I conducted laboratory and field …

The Combined Impact Of Continuous And Ordinal Auxiliary Variables On Missing Data Imputation In Sem, Salina Wu Whitaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Modern” methods of addressing missing data using full-information maximum-likelihood (FIML) have become mainstays in SEM analyses. FIML allows the inclusion of auxiliary variables which carry information that is related to missing values and can reduce bias in parameter estimates. Past research has illustrated the benefits of auxiliary variable inclusion under different missingness conditions (MCAR and MNAR; e.g., Enders, 2008), missingness proportions (e.g., Collins et al., 2001), and although limited, missingness patterns (e.g., Yoo, 2009) in FIML analyses. While past studies have focused on the effects of either continuous or ordinal auxiliary variables, no study has included both types in their …

Compressible Hydrodynamics Of Few Body Optical Vortices, Jasmine M. Andersen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ubiquity of vortices nearly rivals that of the innumerable fluids and spaces in which they live. Not only do they exist in systems such as superfluids, superconductors, optical fields, or cold atomic gases, for example, but they also exist in our atmospheres, oceans, and even in our veins. This makes understanding and accurately predicting the dynamics of vortices in various systems a relevant and meaningful endeavor.

From a typical hydrodynamic perspective, vortices move within a given fluid because of the background fluid density and phase gradients at the vortex location. However, we find that these gradients alone are insufficient …

Revegetating Salt-Impacted Soils In The Northern Great Plains, Abigail P. Blanchard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the northern Great Plains (NGP), an estimated 10.6 million hectares of land are affected by naturally occurring salt-impacted soil. Naturally occurring salt impaction results when rainfall causes salts in parent material to move upward through the soil profile and remain in the root zone causing osmotic and ionic stress, negatively affecting seed imbibition, germination, and plant growth. Common methods to remediate saltimpacted soils were developed in the irrigated soils of the Southwestern U.S., are ineffective in the non-irrigated soils of the NGP, and can exacerbate the problem. Therefore, new methods to remediate salt-impacted soil in the NGP are needed. …