Operations Research

Recently, research on the constrained assignmentproblems has received increasing attention. Many practicalproblems in resource scheduling, distribution, and planning canbe formulated as assignment problems with additional constraints.The assignment problem with a single knapsack constraint (APKC)is, in general, known to be NP-Complete. In this research wedevelop an efficient branch-and-bound algorithm using agroup-theoretic approach for solving the APKC. The aim indeveloping the proposed algorit...

Biomedical; Engineering, System Science

This dissertation explores the role of the respiratoryCO2 feedback system of man in producing breath-to-breathcorrelated and periodic variations in ventilation. The majorhypothesis is that continuous random disturbances to therespiratory CO2 chemical control system can lead to irregular andperiodic breathing. This hypothesis has been examined in threeparts: I. Using a new technique that allows for simultaneousestimation of correlated variability and periodic variations,correlated variability has...

Technology

The degree of branching, head-to-head defects andstereoregularity of polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) have been measuredfor samples with different crystalline properties. Thecrystallinity of PVF decreases as the degree of branchingincreases. The head-to-head defect concentration in PVF has ameasureable, inverse relationship to the melting temperature ofthe material. Differences in stereoregularity have little effecton the crystallinity, apparently due to the isomorphic characterof the fluorine and hydro...

Chemistry, Polymer

This dissertation is concerned with the synthesis andcharacterization of several series of highly crystallizablehomopolymers, block and random copolymers from 2-substituted2-oxazolines. Phenyl (P) and Undecyl (U) oxazoline diblock (PU)and triblock (UPU) copolymers with almost the same P block length(about 10 monomer units) and various U block lengths (19-55monomer units) were synthesized. They all have high water contactangles({dollar}{bsol}geq{dollar}107{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}circ{dollar}for mos...

As managed health care increases in appeal, includingthe positive implications for family practice, the need for theeffective career development of family physicians becomes moreapparent. This dissertation employs experiential learning theoryto explore factors that impact the career development of facultyof family medicine. Four hypotheses are tested regarding learningstyles. The Executive Skills Profile (ESP)--an assessmentinstrument based on experiential learning theory--is used toexplore orga...

Biography; Cinema

Critics have recognized Martin Scorsese as one of thefinest contemporary American directors. Because there is nobook-length critical study, I have attempted to write an overviewof his work. I have confined my study to Scorsese s featurefilms, beginning with Mean Streets. I have left out his shortstudent films, his TV commercial, and his music films. The firstpart of each chapter includes a plot summary, description ofmajor characters, and a thematic interpretation of the film. Thesecond part of ...

In this project, I examine the symbolic processes usedby participants in two self-help groups for individuals sufferingfrom particular chronic physical disorders. My objective was tounderstand the processes of signification used by members ofthese groups in order to comprehend the meaning they derived fromtheir organizational activities. I studied two groups. Oneassociation concerned itself with the patients and caregiversafflicted with Parkinson s disease while the other focused onlupus. I util...

Mental Health

The purpose of this descriptive field study was toinvestigate the meaning of loneliness from the adult,hospitalized, dying person s perspective. Participantobservation, intensive interviewing, and review of records werethe central techniques of data collection. Data were collectedover a nine-month period, with the researcher in the role of aclinical nurse specialist at a large university medical center.The purposive sample consisted of 18 primary participants whowere recognized as having limited...

Statistics

This work addresses a number of gaps in the literatureof group repair and replacement policies for machines that areoperating in parallel. Three new models will be introduced. Theobjective function, in all models, is to minimize the expectedoperating cost per unit time. The first model allows theincorporation of a random repair time. For machines with i.i.d.exponentially distributed failure times, a procedure is providedfor finding the optimal m-failure policy when repair time isassumed to be a ...

Chemistry, Inorganic

The interactions of1,2:5,6:9,10-tribenzocyclododeca-1,5,9-triene-3,7,11-triyne (TBC)with alkali metals (Li, Na, and K) and transition metals aredescribed. An unprecedented lithium induced alkyne cyclizationreaction of TBC to form a novel helicene dianion is described.The novel dicyclopentadiene dianion, (Li(TMEDA)){dollar}{bsol}sb2{dollar}(C{dollar}{bsol}sb{lcub}24{rcub}{dollar}H{dollar}{bsol}sb{lcub}14{rcub}{dollar}),has been characterized by IR, NMR and X-ray analysis. The X-rayanalysis shows ...

; Chemistry, Polymer

The work carried out in this thesis provides furtherexamples of the synthesis of monomeric alkoxysilanes, oligomericalkoxysiloxanes, polymeric chain alkoxysiloxanes, and polymericsheet alkoxysiloxanes by the treatment of monomeric, oligomeric,chain, and sheet silicates with hydrochloric acid-alcoholsolutions. In addition the work shows that monomericalkoxysilanes can be made by the treatment of monomeric silicateswith sulfurous acid-alcohol, acetic acid-alcohol, and possiblycarbonic acid-alcohol...

The problem of transforming a nonlinear system to alinear system has received much attention in the literature. Theinterest in linear systems originates from the fact that suchsystems have been widely studied and there is a rich theoreticalbackground as well as sophisticated design tools for controllersynthesis. The set up is: Given a continuous nonlinear system ofthe form(UNFORMATTED TABLE OR EQUATIONFOLLOWS){dollar}{dollar}{bsol}eqalign{lcub}{lcub}{bsol}bf{bsol}dot x{rcub}&= {lcub}{bso...

; Health Sciences, General

We measured degradation rate constants for low densitylipoprotein (LDL) and methylated LDL (not recognized by theLDL-receptor) in the intima and media of the rabbit aorta.Experiments involved intravenous injection of{dollar}{bsol}sp{lcub}125{rcub}{dollar}I-LDL andtyramine-cellobiose-LDL({dollar}{bsol}sp{lcub}131{rcub}{dollar}I-TC-LDL), or theirmethylated counterparts. Labeled protein fragments of TC-LDLbecome permanently deposited intracellularly upon degradation.Transmural concentration data we...

The present experimental investigation consists of twoparts. The first part describes an effort to study naturallyoccurring instability modes in the axisymmetric shear layer of ahigh Reynolds number turbulent jet. Untripped (transitional) andtripped (turbulent) nozzle exit conditions, both with 0.1% coreturbulence, were studied. For the turbulent nozzle exit boundarylayer case, the core turbulence was varied systematically from0.1% to 5% of the jet exit velocity using various grids locatedupstre...

Science; Engineering, Mechanical

Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) and Intermetallic MatrixComposites (IMC) have been identified as potential materialcandidates for advanced aerospace applications. They areespecially attractive for high temperature applications whichrequire a low density material that maintains its structuralintegrity at elevated temperatures. High temperature fatigueresistance plays an important role in determining the structuralintegrity of a material. There are several fundamental issuesthat surface when conside...

Toxicology

The activities of chemicals in biological systems areinevitably related to their structure. The Computer AutomatedStructure Evaluation method has been used to study the possiblecausal relationships that may exist between well-definedsubstructural components of chemicals and their biologicalactivities, both beneficial (drug efficacy) and detrimental(toxicity). The following systems have been studied successfully:the Glyoxalase I enzyme inhibitory activity of flavonoids andrelated compounds, the t...

A critical mechanical system in advanced hypersonicengines is the panel-edge seal system that seals gaps between thearticulating engine panels and the adjacent engine splitterwalls. Significant advancements in seal technology are requiredto meet the extreme demands placed on the seals, including thesimultaneous requirements of low leakage, conformable, hightemperature, high pressure, sliding operation. In thisinvestigation, the design, development, analytical andexperimental evaluation of a new ...

Science; Plastics Technology

Professor Hull, in the preface of his book, AnIntroduction to Composite Materials, has pointed out that "Theessence of composite materials technology is the ability to putstrong stiff fibers in the right place, in the right orientationwith the right volume fraction." I would like to paraphrase hisstatement for the blends as following: "The essence of polymerblends technology is the ability to put soft deformable phases inthe right place, in the right shape and orientation with the...

Physics, Nuclear

Precision measurements of the A-dependence of thereaction p + A {dollar}{bsol}to{bsol}mu{bsol}sp+{bsol}mu{bsol}sp-{dollar} + X at 800 GeV/c arereported in this thesis. Data were taken at Fermilab (E772) usinga modified version of the large dimuon spectrometer in theMeson-East beamline. A total of 6 {dollar}{bsol}times{dollar}10{dollar}{bsol}sp5{dollar} muon pairs were recorded for targetsof D, C, Ca, Fe, and W. The kinematic region spanned by the datacorresponds to a dimuon invariant mass of 3 {...

and Racial Studies

For generations African-American performing artistshave been able to achieve prominence and world wide acclaim.Behind the starring act is a broader culture of Black Musicindustry professionals that includes; working musicians,corporate managers, entrepreneurs, technicians and otherspecialists. This study explores the career development,collaborative network systems and social supports leading tosuccess in the careers of performing artists, corporate managersand entrepreneurs. The study was condu...

Psychology, Experimental

Spatial localization is a unique aspect of selectiveattention which precedes and facilitates other aspects of sensoryprocessing. Despite its importance, the mechanism for theallocation of attention in space is unclear. Theories of spatialattention include spotlight models with variable enlargement ofthe attentional field, divided attention models with stationarydiscontinuity, the dynamic focusing model with continuousadjustment, or a scanning model with multiple attentional shifts.Each of these ...

Chemistry, Physical

The objective of this research has been to study theO{dollar}{bsol}sb2{dollar} reduction and generation reactions onruthenium metal and its pyrochlores. The research involved thefollowing steps: (1) Synthesis of various ruthenate pyrochloresand perovskites in high and low area forms; (2) Physicochemicalcharacterization of these oxide powders; (3) Electrochemicalcharacterization of Ru metal and a ruthenate pyrochlore(Pb{dollar} {bsol}sb2 {dollar}Ru{dollar} {bsol}sb2{dollar}O{dollar} {bsol}sb{lcub...

Chemistry, Physical

From photodissociation at several known wavelengths inthe ion cyclotron resonance ion trap, the ratio of m/z 57 to 58photoproduct ions was calibrated as a function of the internalenergy of the dissociating parent 1,4-dioxane ions. Thiscalibration was then used as an internal thermometric function tomonitor the cooling of dioxane ions, initially prepared with anaverage of 0.34 eV of internal energy by electron-impactionization. The rate constant for the collisionless cooling ofthe ions was found ...

Chemistry, General

NMR Imaging or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) isapplied as a nondestructive evaluation technique forvisualization of internal structure of complex materials. Thematerials studied were porous glasses, reinforced elastomers,polymeric composites and v-belts. The structural details includedispersion of fillers, defects, inclusions, laminations andreinforcing fibers. Experiments were performed on water-filledporous glass cylinders with different porosities. MR imagesobtained were used to study perm...

Chemistry, Biochemistry

This thesis documents studies of ribosome-mRNAinteractions during eukaryotic translation initiation. Theinteraction was studied for: typical cap-dependent, atypicalcap-independent (internal initiation), and atypical re-initiationmechanisms. For cap-dependent initiation, the focus was theinitiation factor requirements of ribosome-mRNA binding versusribosome scanning. The technique of primer extension inhibitionwas adapted from the prokaryotic system to study the eukaryoticribosome-mRNA interactio...

Operations Research

We study single-shift workforce scheduling problems inwhich the operation requires seven days a week with m types ofworkers. Type-1 worker is the most qualified, type-2 worker thesecond most qualified, and so on. A higher qualified worker canonly substitute for a less qualified worker in certain limitedlevels. The principal requirements in the research problem are:(1) at least {dollar}{bsol}delta{bsol}sb{lcub}{bsol}rmki{rcub}{dollar} workers of type k must be on duty on day i; (2)each worker mus...

Artificial Intelligence

This dissertation develops several methods by which anexpert system can intelligently access an external database. Themotivation for this research came from an advanced manufacturingapplication which required fairly sophisticated reasoning about arelatively large volume of factual knowledge which is stored inan external database. An expert system was designed andimplemented to do this in a relatively efficient way which takesadvantage of contemporary database and logic programmingtechnologies. A...

Engineering, Materials Science

Electro-Discharge Machining (EDM) reduces the thermalfatigue resistance compared to conventional machining operations.The detrimental influence of EDM is attributed to the damagedlayers consisting of a brittle recast layer, a hardened layer anda softer tempered region as well as the tensile residualstresses. The EDM treatments that are investigated include a highenergy one step manual process and a commercial EDM treatmentthat uses multiple steps of decreasing energy followed by gritpolishing an...

Chemistry, Physical

There were significant differences observed in the COoxidation peak structures for different CO adsorption conditions.It is likely that the CO adlayer structure has an influence onthe CO oxidation mechanism. The surface CO layers formed in thehydrogen adsorption/desorption and double layer potential regionshave been examined. The in situ FTIRRAS technique was used tostudy the nature of bonding of the adsorbed CO to the surface andthe orientation of the adsorbate on the electrode surface. Oftenth...

Chemistry, Biochemistry

Many studies have compared homologous proteinstructures to identify those residues which have an importantrole in maintaining the structure and function of a protein. Wehave taken an alternative but analogous approach to identifystructural determinants of local protein structure, wheresegments of structures (i.e., substructures) from nonhomologousproteins are compared. Using various statistical clusteringmethods, we systematically classified protein substructures, oneto eight residues in length,...

Metallurgy; Physics, Condensed Matter

The effects of an oxygen ionized gas from simulatedspace exposure on the toughness and fatigue properties of severalaerospace aluminum alloys and aluminum composites have beenanalyzed. The test matrix consisted of four aluminum systems: the6000 and 1100 series and two 8090 aluminum-lithium alloys. Thetest specimens were prepared as Charpy V-notched impact anddisk-shaped compact fracture toughness specimens. A smallspecimen size is used for the compact tension specimens tofacilitate exposure in a...

Chemistry, Organic

Part 1. Halichondrins, a family of macrolidepolyethers, were isolated from a sponge, Halichondria okadaiKadota, in 4 {dollar}{bsol}times{dollar}10{dollar}{bsol}sp{lcub}-7{rcub}{dollar} to 5{dollar}{bsol}times{dollar}10{dollar}{bsol}sp{lcub}-6{rcub}{dollar}% yield. Halichondrin B,the biologically most active member of this new family, is aremarkably effective antitumor agent in vivo. The 32 asymmetriccarbons in halichondrin B allow more than four billionstereoisomers. Therefore, a practical total...

; Plastics Technology

Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) liquid engineered resins areemerging among the newest commercial reaction injection molding(RIM) systems. Since the filling stage is coupled with chemicalreaction, an understanding of the chemorheological changes iscritical for establishing moldability criteria. The objective ofthis study was to investigate the rheokinetic changes during theadiabatic polymerization and to develop simplified moldabilitydiagrams for a DCPD-RIM system. An adiabatic reactive viscometrytechni...

Psychology, Experimental

Implicit memory tasks demonstrate that one sperformance can be primed by past experience without one beingconsciously aware that the past experience is affecting thepresent performance. Roediger (1990) suggests that priming inimplicit memory tasks occurs because there is a physical matchbetween a studied stimulus and a test response. Roediger s theoryimplies that priming will not occur if a conceptual match is theonly link between words at study and test. The presentexperiments tested the notion...

Psychology, Developmental

In this study, life review was examined as it relatesto sex-role development in males before and after the mid-lifetransition. Consistent with the literature, life review isdefined as an internally focused self-evaluative processencompassing elements of self-analysis, comparison and synthesis.It was hypothesized that utilization of life review is relatednot to chronological age, as has been suggested, but to sex-roledevelopment. In addition, life review was examined in the contextof its adaptive...

Chemistry, Polymer

The synthesis of1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(2-chloro-4-hdyroxyphenyl)ethane (ClBPE) aflexible mesogen and polyethers and copolyethers based on ClBPEand {dollar}{bsol}alpha,{bsol}omega{dollar}-dibromoalkanescontaining from 4 to 20 methylene units are described. With someexceptions, most of the homopolymers display monotropic orvirtual mesophases. The virtual isotropic-nematic (Tin) andnematic-nematic transitions(Tn{dollar}{bsol}sb1{dollar}n{dollar}{bsol}sb2{dollar}) andcorresponding thermodynamice par...

; Biology, Molecular

In the present work, I have characterized theregulation and functional significance of the novel phospholipaseD (PLD)-based signaling system utilizing HL-60 humanpromyelocytic leukemic cell line as a model system. Inundifferentiated HL-60 cells, neither extracellular ATP (actingvia P{dollar}{bsol}sb2{dollar}-purinergic receptors) norformylated peptides (FMLP) elicited significant PLD activation orincreased secretion. After induction of granulocyticdifferentiation by dibutyryl cAMP, both ATP and ...

This dissertation investigates the relationship betweenprivate action and public educational policy. It is a case studyof the PACE Association--a private, nonprofit organization whichwas formed and operated in Cleveland, Ohio for the purpose ofinfluencing the direction of urban, educational reform during the1960s. This dissertation examines the scope and effectiveness ofthe PACE Association and its relationship with the ClevelandPublic Schools and the Greater Cleveland community. This studyexpla...

This dissertation addresses the application ofFeedforward Artificial Neural Networks (FANNs) in solvingMultiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problems from thefollowing aspects: (1) Designing the structure of FANNs; (2)Using FANNs in static MCDM; (3) Using FANNs in dynamic MCDM; and(4) Applying the method developed in this dissertation tomachining Operations. In the structure design of a FANN, thecapacity consideration of the FANN is important. In thisdissertation, the capacity of a FANN with ...

Positron annihilation is studied as a characterizationmethod for the properties of polymers. Previous studies indicatethat the ortho-positronium lifetime{dollar}{bsol}tau{bsol}sb3{dollar} and intensityI{dollar}{bsol}sb3{dollar} is correlated to the free volume"hole" size and number density of holes in a polymer. Positronannihilation lifetime (PAL) studies in polymers measure thechange in free volume, and they are sensitive to differentphysical environments. PAL studies of the temperatu...

Chemistry, Organic

A unified strategy for the asymmetric synthesis of thequinocarcin and naphthyridinomycin families of DNA reactivealkaloids isolated from Streptomyces culture has been developed.Through this efficient synthetic route, the first asymmetricsynthesis of ({dollar}-{dollar})-quinocarcin was accomplished andan effective asymmetric approach to the naphthyridinomycin serieshas been demonstrated. Key steps include an auxiliary-controlledintermolecular 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction (116{dollar}{bsol}t...

Engineering, Biomedical

This dissertation comprises three parts. First,rheological studies of gelatin solutions were performed throughthe sol-gel transition as a function of concentration, pH andionic strength. At the gel point, power-law frequency dependenceof the viscoelastic functionsG{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime({bsol}omega),{dollar}G{dollar}{bsol}sp{lcub}{bsol}prime{bsol}prime{rcub}({bsol}omega){dollar}and {dollar}{bsol}eta{bsol}sp{lcub}*{rcub}({bsol}omega){dollar}was observed. The power-law exponents n obtained fr...

Metallurgy

MB85 (Al-3.5%Cu-2.4%Mg Alloy reinforced with SiCparticulates) and 2014 (Al-4.2%Cu-1.5%Mg alloy reinforced withAl{dollar}{bsol}sb2{dollar}O{dollar}{bsol}sb3{dollar}particulate) composites were heat-teated to underaged andoveraged conditions followed by low cycle fatigue testing withtotal strain control. The results include three aspects: (i)Bauschinger effect and internal residual stress, (ii) Cyclic workhardening behavior, and (iii) Fatigue life and low cycle fatiguedamage processes. X-ray diffr...

Science; Engineering, Metallurgy

Single crystal and polycrystal NiAl with a nominallystoichiometric composition were subjected to various pressureconditions. The effects of (1) pressurization (i.e., theapplication of pressure, its removal, and examination ofsubsequent properties) from 0.1 MPa to 1400 MPa on the flowproperties and (2) testing under superimposed hydrostaticpressure on the fracture behavior were examined. The resultsindicate that pressurization up to 1400 MPa did not greatlyaffect the flow properties of the single...

Brain tumors are known to utilize glucose as theprimary fuel. Shifting energy metabolism from glucose to ketonebodies by use of a ketogenic diet, thus decreasing theavailability of glucose to the tumor, could potentially inhibittumor growth. A six week study following three children withadvanced stage cancer was conducted. Two subjects had AnaplasticAstrocytoma with different sites of origin. Patient #1, a 3 y.o.developmentally delayed girl, had spinal cord disease whilePatient #2, a 8.5 y.o. gi...

Biology, Molecular

The goal of the research contained within this thesishas been to identify features of the organization of the PEPCKpromoter which enable the appropriate expression of the PEPCKgene. Initial research efforts focused on an examination of thefunctional significance of the single base difference between thesequence of CRE-1 and CRE-2. This research resulted in theobservation that the cAMP responsiveness of the PEPCK promotercould be greatly increased by a single base substitution thataltered the CRE...

This study was a clinical decision analysis evaluatingtwo methods to manage cognitively and physically impaired elderlypatients at risk of falling in two settings, nursing home andhospital. The two methods were physical restraint and increasedobservation accompanied by environmental manipulation. Followingthe choice of restraint or nonrestraint strategies were theevents of strategy complications, falling, fall injury, and hipfracture mortality or morbidity. There were 26 possible healthoutcomes....

Mathematics

The exact tail asymptotics of the distribution of thefunctional {dollar}{bsol}rm{bsol}int{bsol}sbsp{lcub}o{rcub}{lcub}1{rcub}{bsol}vertB{bsol}sb{lcub}s{rcub}{bsol}vert ds{dollar} on the Wiener process{dollar}{bsol}rm {bsol}{lcub}B{bsol}sb{lcub}s{rcub}{dollar}:{dollar}{bsol}rm S{bsol}ge o{bsol}{rcub}{dollar} isobtained.

Chemistry, Polymer

The principle focus of this research was to preparepolar ultra-thin films using an alternating monolayer adaptationof the traditional Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, and toinvestigate the role that structure (physical and chemical) playsupon the outward manifestation of this internal polarization:pyroelectricity. To facilitate the rapid and reproduciblefabrication of these organic superlattices a specially designedfilm trough was prepared such that two separate monolayers couldbe independently...

Physics, Condensed Matter

This dissertation describes a three part researcheffort on diamond films, monolayers, and polymers. The first partdeals with diamond thin films, it directly addresses threeclosely related subjects. The first subject addresses thesurface, interface, and bulk properties of the CVD thin films byusing various techniques, such as XPS (X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), FTIR-ATR(Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection), spectrasubtraction, and Raman sp...