Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Antimicrobial Activities Of Aldehydes And Ketones Produced During Rapid Volatilization Of Biogenic Oils, Aruna Lamba

Masters Theses

"The overall objective of the research presented in this thesis was to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of commercially available neat compounds in order to validate the analytes which were found in the smoke generated during rapid volatilization of biogenic oil esters and mineral oils. To attain this objective various analytes were selected from the analytical data provided for the smoke, and neat compounds were purchased. A special desiccator was designed to conduct experiments. Simultaneously vapor phase concentration of the neat compounds was determined to establish relation between neat compounds and the analytes found in smoke. Other part of the thesis …

An Open Framework For Highly Concurrent Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation, Ryan C. Underwood

Masters Theses

"Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation is becoming a significant tool in prototyping complex, highly available systems. The HIL approach allows an engineer to build a physical system incrementally by enabling real components of the system to seamlessly interface with simulated components. It also permits testing of hardware prototypes of components that would be extremely costly to test in the deployed environment. Key issues are the ability to wrap the systems of equations (such as Partial Differential Equations) describing the deployed environment into real-time software models, provide low synchronization overhead between the hardware and software, and reduce reliance on proprietary platforms. This thesis …

Management Of An Intelligent Argumentation Network For A Web-Based Collaborative Engineering Design Environment, Man Zheng

Masters Theses

"Conflict resolution is one of the most challenging tasks in collaborative engineering design. In the previous research, a web-based intelligent collaborative system was developed to address this challenge based on intelligent computational argumentation. However, two important issues were not resolved in that system: priority of participants and self-conflicting arguments. In this thesis, two methods are developed for incorporating priorities of participants into the computational argumentation network: 1) weighted summation and 2) re-assessment of strengths of arguments based on priority of owners of the argument using fuzzy logic inference. In addition, a method for detection of self-conflicting arguments was developed"--Abstract, page …

Zinc(Ii) Incorporation Into Porphyrin Cytochrome C As A Function Of Temperature, Urea Concentration And Zinc(Ii) Acetate Concentration And The Urea And Guanidine Hydrochloride Induced Unfolding Of Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Sireesha Potula

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Metal-Substituted Cytochrome C: Manganese (Ii) Incorporation Kinetics And Structural Stability Studies Of Native Iron Cytochrome C, Porphyrin Cytochrome C, Zinc Cytochrome C And Manganese Cytochrome C, Vineela Gundala

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Supramolecular Usefulness Of Hexamethylenetetramine, Philias Daka

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Studies Directed Toward The Diastereocontrolled Synthesis Of Heritol, Prashanth K. Padakanti

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Screening New Cytokinesis Genes And Investigation Of Regulation Of Hof1 In Cytokinesis, Jung Eun Park

Masters Theses

"In 1996, a complete sequence of the budding yeast genome was completed and numerous studies begun to discover the function of genes. A primary concern of this study was to identify genes that may function in cytokinesis. Seven candidate genes were chosen, which were previously shown to localize to the bud neck, the site of cytokinesis, or interact with a protein that is involved in cytokinesis. Six of those uncharacterized genes, YHR149C, YLR187W, YOL070C, YMR124W, YPL158C, and YOR304C-A, were identified by data generated by GFP tagging of the yeast proteome. Data from a large-scale two-hybrid screen was used to identify …

A Quantitative Study Of Gene Identification Techniques Based On Evolutionary Rationales, Cyriac Kandoth

Masters Theses

"Current gene identification (GI) techniques typically rely on matching biological or chemical properties of specific genes, specific species, specific ecotypes, etc...In this thesis, a new automated GI technique is proposed, and compared against another computer-based technique proposed earlier. Both methods utilize EST data available from NCBI databases to discover previously unknown genes. The newly proposed method identifies one gene family at a time and is based on a distinctive negative selection pattern (NSP) of differences, which is seen between the coding regions of gene family members. The other technique, called ESTminer, attempts genome-wide gene family identification for any organism, by …

A Light-Weight Middleware Framework For Fault-Tolerant And Secure Distributed Applications, Ian Jacob Baird

Masters Theses

"This thesis outlines the design, implementation, and performance of a lightweight middleware framework for interprocess communication with an update log propagation algorithm. The system was designed and implemented using a point-to-point based lightweight middleware framework and compared to a similar system implemented utilizing CORBA--Abstract, page iii.

Physical Analysis Of Human Hair, Lea Marie Dankers

Masters Theses

"Physical analysis of human hair has been performed to determine the effects of chemical treatments on hair samples. Five samples including an untreated sample were analyzed using various methods. The methods included differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and carbon-13 cross polarization/magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C CP/MAS NMR)"--Abstract, page iii.

Sensor Network Coverage And Data Aggregation Problem: Solutions Toward The Maximum Lifetime, Li Yin

Masters Theses

"In the coverage problem, an optimal solution is proposed for the maximum lifetime sensor scheduling problem, which could find the upper bound of a sensor network's lifetime. This research reveals the relationship between the degree of redundancy in sensor deployment and achievable extension on network lifetime, which can be a useful guide for practical sensor network design"--Introduction, page 4.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Inosamines, Sing Raj Gurung

Masters Theses

This project is concerned with the preparation of scyllo-inosarnine hydrochloride 6, a biologically active compound, which bears six successive stereogenic centers. The synthesis of this compound would help elucidate the involvement of inosamines in biological nitrogen fixation. myo-Inositol served as the starting material to synthesize target compound 6. Regioselective protection and deprotection of myo-inositol provided azide 43 as key intermediate. In the final steps deprotection of five benzyl groups and reduction of azido group was achieved by catalytic hydrogenation. scyllo-Inosamine hydrochloride 6 was fully characterized by m.p., ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, EA and via …

Thermodynamics Of Metals Adsorption Onto Uranium Dioxide, Koi Ling Lim

Masters Theses

Wastes and pollution containing uranium are released to the environment through mining, ore processing, industrial manufacture of nuclear fuel and weapons materials, and the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. There are a wide variety of processes that can affect UO₂ stability. This research focuses on the surface reactivity of UO₂ in reducing aqueous solutions, with an emphasis on assessment of the pH-dependent surface charge, reactive surface area, and the adsorption of dissolved lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), lanthanum (La) onto UO₂ particles. A surface complexation model was used to explain the adsorption and titration phenomena of UO_{2 …}

Expression And Characterization Of Hyperthermophilic Aqujfex Pyrophilus Flagellin Protein In Mesophilic Bacterial Systems, Srivani V. Mukkamala

Masters Theses

The structural protein flagellin, FlaA derived from hyperthermophilic Aquifex pyrophilus, a rod shaped eubacterial species that grows near hydrothermal vents at an optimum growth temperature of 85 °C forms elongated thermostable flagella nanotubes. FlaA was successfully over-expressed for the first time using pET28c plasmid in E. coli BL21 cells at 37 °C. The protein was isolated from inclusion bodies that were solubilized by alkaline pH, refolded by dialysis and purified by chromatographic techniques. The FlaA was characterized by fluorescence, light scattering and circular dichroism. The FlaA was not in the correct folded form to form flagella as efforts to …

Petrogenesis Of Apollo 15 Olivine-Normative And Quartz-Normative Mare Basalts, Darren W. Schnare

Masters Theses

New data are presented for four Apollo 15 low-Ti mare basalts, two from the olivine-normative suite (15106, and 15555) and two from the quartz-normative suite (15475, and 15499). Previous studies have examined the relationships between these groups on the basis of whole-rock chemistry, many with analyses that may have been of insufficient sample-size, or of limited range of elements analyzed. To determine a relationship between these basalts, these samples have been analyzed for their mineral major-element and trace-element compositions by electron-microprobe and laser-ablation inductively-coupled-plasma mass-spectrometry, respectively.

The trace-element compositions of the main silicate phases, olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase, are consistent …

Variational And Partial Differential Equation Models For Color Image Denoising And Their Numerical Approximations Using Finite Element Methods, Miun Yoon

Masters Theses

Image processing has been a traditional engineering field, which has a broad range of applications in science, engineering and industry. Not long ago, statistical and ad hoc methods had been main tools for studying and analyzing image processing problems. In the past decade, a new approach based on variational and partial differential equation (PDE) methods has emerged as a more powerful approach. Compared with old approaches, variational and PDE methods have remarkable advantages in both theory and computation. It allows to directly handle and process visually important geometric features such as gradients, tangents and curvatures, and to model visually meaningful …

Neutron Diffraction Study Of Heavy Water Intercalation In Superconducting Deuterated Sodium Cobaltate Na0.35Coo21.4d2O, Cinzia Metallo

Masters Theses

When Na-deficient Na_xCoO₂ is intercalated with water¹ or heavy water², it becomes a superconductor. The maximum critical temperature of 4.5 K is found for the composition Na_xCoO₂yD₂O (x= 0.3 and y=1.4). In spite of its low transition temperature, several similarities with high temperature superconducting cuprates have raised interest in this compound. Nevertheless, up to now, a clear understanding of the role of water has not been achieved.

Since superconductivity appears only when water is inserted in the parent compound, the goal of this research work was to understand …

Four-Dimensional Mvct Imaging And Spatial Translation Of Helical Tomotherapy Dose Distributions Using Sinogram Modification, Samuel Scott Outten

Masters Theses

Helical tomotherapy systems have the unique attribute of using sinograms as a machine input and a machine output. These sinograms have well understood properties that may allow for operational changes that simplify and/or improve radiation treatment.

In the first part of this work, the detector array output sinogram of an MVCT imaging study is used to produce images of an object at different locations along a pattern of motion and the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) control sinogram is used to translate dose distributions in space. A temporal re-binning algorithm was written that divided the MVCT sinogram projections into positional bins that …

Photochemical Route To The Production Of Fullerene Allotropes, Olga Ovchinnikova

Masters Theses

A photochemical route to the formation of two C₆₀ molecules which are bridged by one and up to eighteen carbon atoms to form bucky-dumbbell shaped molecules, i.e., C₆₀ > C < C₆₀ to C₆₀ > C = C = C = C = C = C = C = C = C = C < C₆₀, etc. is described. Irradiation of C60 in solutions of chloroform and iodine (magenta color) with pulsed laser light from the frequency tripled (355 nm) Nd:YAG laser produced a dark crimson color. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) negative ion mass spectroscopy was used to …

Applications Of Mass Spectrometry To Synthetic Copolymers, Elizabeth Angela Stewart

Masters Theses

Over the last decade, application of mass spectrometry has grown immensely especially in polymer characterization. The focus of this thesis is to assess and extend the applicability of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI MS) in the analysis of synthetic copolymers.

Characterization of a non-ionic copolymer was attempted. The copolymer was styrene-co-maleic anhydride, which is in a class of copolymers that are used for commercial applications where low viscosity, high polarity and/or high reactivity are needed. MALDI-TOF MS was employed to obtain weight and number average molecular weight values (M_w and …

Multiple Resolution Nonparametric Classifiers, David Laurence Beck

Masters Theses

Bayesian discriminant functions provide optimal classification decision boundaries in the sense of minimizing the average error rate. An operational assumption is that the probability density functions for the individual classes are either known a priori or can be estimated from the data through the use of estimating techniques. The use of Parzen- windows is a popular and theoretically sound choice for such estimation. However, while the minimal average error rate can be achieved when combining Bayes Rule with Parzen-window density estimation, the latter is computationally costly to the point where it may lead to unacceptable run-time performance. We present the …

Development Of Novel Synthetic Methods Utilizing Organometallic Reagents And Total Synthesis Of Eupomatilone 2, Chunlan Chen

Masters Theses

This dissertation summarizes the development of novel synthetic methods involving organometallic reagents and their application in the total synthesis of the natural product eupomatilone 2. These newly discovered reactions include the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of allyl acetates with organosiloxanes and the diastereoselective synthesis of cis- and trans-a-methylene-y-lactones utilizing Baylis-Hillman adducts as precursors. Another important aspect of the research is the application of some of the methods in total synthesis of eupomatilone 2.

The new synthetic methodologies involving organometallic reagents developed in this dissertation are important transformations in modern organic synthesis. Mild reaction conditions, tolerance of various organic functional groups, and high …

Origin And Tectonic Evolution Of The Southern Appalachian Neoacadin Crystalline Core: Evidence From The Geology Of The Gilreath 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, North Carolina, Crystal Gayle Wilson

Masters Theses

Detailed geologic mapping of the Gilreath 7.5-minute quadrangle recognizes the northernmost continuation of the Brindle Creek fault, a terrane boundary that separates Neoproterozic-Ordovician metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks of the western Tugaloo terrane (western Inner Piedmont) from Silurian-Devonian metasedimentary rocks and Devonian-Mississippian anatectic granitoids of the Cat Square terrane (eastern Inner Piedmont). The Brindle Creek fault is folded in the study area and exposes the Ordovician Brooks Crossroads Granite in a reentrant. Low high-field strength element concentrations and a flatter rare earth element patterns typical of western Inner Piedmont granitoids, support a footwall setting for the Brooks Crossroads Granite.

New geochemical …

Surface Studies Of Selective Hydrogen Desorption From Silicon, Jason Kenneth Smith

Masters Theses

This thesis examines quantum confined quasi-one-dimensional structures on silicon surfaces. An in situ prepared and hydrogenated Si(100)-(2x1) is investigated, on which a quasi-dimensional nanostructure is fabricated via scanning tunneling microscopy. Also, the feasibility of STM-based nanolithography on an ex situ hydrogenated Si(111)-(1x1) surface is explored. Using methods such as those discussed herein it is possible to create quasi one-dimensional semiconducting metallic nanowires as well as contact pads, useful for four point probe measurements at the nanoscale. Using a STM, dimer wide strips of hydrogen are removed from the passivated layer to reveal bare silicon surface bonds forming a nanowire approximately …

An Investigation Into A Microwave-Enhanced Solvent-Free Mannich Condensation Reaction, Kristy Lynn Homburger

Masters Theses

Microwave irradiation has gained in popularity in recent years since it has been found to accelerate various chemical reactions. Microwaves are generally considered to be more environmentally friendly than traditional methods for activating chemical reactions. An investigation into a microwave-enhanced, solventless Mannich condensation was performed. The efficiency of a standard household microwave was compared to that of an industrial microwave, with the industrial microwave proving to be more effective. The advantages of using microwave irradiation for a Mannich condensation include milder reaction conditions, the absence of solvent, less waste, and shorter reaction times. The reaction between terminal alkynes, secondary amines, …

Advantages Of “Function Domain Sets” Confidence Intervals Over Hypotheses Comparison Tests Of One Mean Residual Life (Mrl) Function Dominating An Improved Baseline And Of Two Mrl Functions Comparisons With Applications In Modern Engineered Composite Wood Products: One Sample And Two Sample Cases. Also Exploring General Theory, Insights, And Applications Of Mrl Functions, Jonathan Cody Steele

Masters Theses

In this thesis, we analyze mean residual life (MRL) functions and unique “function domain sets” confidence intervals to identify important opportunities for improving quality of medium density fiberboard (MDF). We stress these tools have tremendous potential for many other forest products (e.g., various composites, natural woods), not just MDF.

These “function domain sets” confidence intervals can assess variation in quality where one MRL function dominates an industrial baseline. Assessments of the internal bond of MDF illuminate opportunities for helpful improvements, plus perform valid statistical comparisons of different types of MDF. For example, these MRL methods detect a new, higher-valued MDF …

Geochemical Characterization Of Coastal Pond And Adjacent Soil Organic Matter From Two Distinct Field Areas Of The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Meg E. Howard

Masters Theses

The McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica contains some of the few ice-free oases on the continent, and is one of the coldest, driest places on earth. Despite the harsh conditions, the MDV supports an abundance of biological communities within soil and aquatic systems. Bioavailable carbon is present in these systems in the form of ancient and modern sources. An additional source of bioavailable carbon that has largely been ignored may be represented by desiccated and disseminated microbial mats (coastal pond organic matter, or CP-OM) originating in ephemeral coastal meltwater ponds of the MDV. The goal of this study is to …

Nikolski's Approach To The Theorems Of Beurling And Nyman Regarding Zeros Of The Riemann Ζ-Function, Jared R. Bunn

Masters Theses

In this thesis we present the proof of a theorem by Nikolai Nikolski. This theorem leads to a more general theorem by Nikolski regarding zero free regions of the Riemann ζ-function. This theorem is an improvement on the theorems that Nyman and Beurling proved in the nineteen fifties. Nikolski’s approach uses, in addition to step function approximations introduced by Nyman, distance functions to give more flexibility, including possible numerical experiments. The introduction discusses the Riemann Hypothesis, which always surrounds any study of the Riemann ζ-function.

The background material discussed in this thesis gives all the necessary prerequi- sites …

Free Radical Polymerization In Room Temperature Ionic Liquids, Xiao Ma

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.