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Controlled Evaporation Driven Synthesis And Applications Of Ordered Nanoporous Ceramic Films, Venkat Rao Koganti

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the synthesis of oriented mesoporous ceramic films by evaporation induced self-assembly of surfactants and ceramic precursors in films dip coated from ethanol-rich sols. First, the kinetics of silica polycondensation in surfactant templated sol-gel films is studied both before and after deposition using infrared spectroscopy. These observations reveal an induction time (with minimal condensation rate) before curing begins in certain surfactant-templated silica films, which can be utilized to perform post-synthesis modification. This induction time is maximized at high humidity, and by long nonionic surfactant headgroups (rather than, for instance, a trimethylammonium headgroup). The second part of the dissertation …

Optimal Water Quality Management Strategies For Urban Watersheds Using Macro-Level Simulation Models Linked With Evolutionary Algorithms, Mohammad Tufail

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Urban watershed management poses a very challenging problem due to the varioussources of pollution and there is a need to develop optimal management models that canfacilitate the process of identifying optimal water quality management strategies. Ascreening level, comprehensive, and integrated computational methodology is developedfor the management of point and non-point sources of pollution in urban watersheds. Themethodology is based on linking macro-level water quality simulation models withefficient nonlinear constrained optimization methods for urban watershed management.The use of macro-level simulation models in lieu of the traditional and complexdeductive simulation models is investigated in the optimal management framework forurban watersheds. Two different …

Analysis, Design, And Laboratory Evaluation Of A Distributed Unified Power Flow Controller Concept, Qiang Li

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A single-phase, buck-boost based, dual-output AC-DC converter is studied in this thesis. The converter has two DC outputs with opposite polarities, which share the same ground with the input power line. The power stage performance, including the input filter, is studied and procedure to select power components is given. The circuit model is analyzed to develop appropriate control. Zerocrossing distortion of the source input current is addressed and a solution is proposed. Experimental results are satisfactory in that a high power factor line current results for steady-state operation.

Taxonomic Revision Of Zelomorpha Ashmead, 1900 And Hemichoma Enderlein, 1920 (Braconidae: Agathidinae) With A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Color Patterns, Carlos Eduardo Sarmiento-Monroy

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A revision and a phylogenetic analysis of the genera Zelomorpha Ashmead, 1900 and Hemichoma Enderlein, 1920 were conducted. Phylogenetic analyses used molecular and morphological data. A total of 39 sequences were obtained for COI (887 bases long) and 57 for 28S (1254 bases long). DNA sequences were aligned manually and also aligned with ClustalW (Thompson et al. 1997). Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian approaches were applied to phylogenetic analyses with each gene region analyzed separately and in a combined analysis. The phylogenetic analysis analyses supported the monophyletic status of the genera Zelomorpha, as defined by Sharkey et al. (2006), and …

A Systematic Study On The Thermodynamic And Transport Properties Of Layered Ruthenates, Xiunu Lin

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

In the 4d transition metal oxides, the extension of the 4d orbitals leads to comparable and thus competitive kinetic and coulomb energies. As a result, small perturbations can induce significant changes in their physical properties, giving rise to a class of exotic phenomena that are rarely found in other materials. The ruthenates materials with readily tunable parameters open an avenue to study the strong electronic correlation in the rarely explored territory: the 4d transition metal oxides.

The bilayered system, Ca₃Ru₂O₇, belongs to the Ruddlesden-Popper series in which the physical properties are intimately linked to …

Market Power And Competitive Analysis Of China's Soybean Import Market, Baohui Song

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Globally, China is the number one soybean importer, and the United States, Brazil, and Argentina are the top three soybean exporters. This research, based on the reverse residual demand model, developed and estimated a two-country partial equilibrium trade model to test who has stronger market power in the Chinese soybean import market. This two-country partial equilibrium trade model incorporates the U.S. residual soybean supply for China, the Chinese residual demand for U.S. soybeans, and the equilibrium condition, where the U.S. residual soybean supply equals the Chinese residual soybean demand. Data used in this research are monthly data from January 1999 …

Neurochemical Studies Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications In The Striatum And Nucleus Accumbens Of The Fischer 344 Rat, Barry Matthew Joyce

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Stimulant medications such as D-amphetamine, mixed-salts (75% D- and25% L-) amphetamine; Adderall®, and methylphenidate are first-line treatmentsfor Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In vivo studies havepredominantly focused on these stimulants in the context of drug abuse, andtheir therapeutic mechanistic properties are only theoretical. Previously, in vivotechniques have been limited by poor temporal and spatial resolution, andcharacterizations of these medications in rodent models have not been possibleat low, clinically relevant levels. In order to address these issues, our laboratoryused in vivo high speed chronoamperometric microelectrodes to characterize theeffects of local applications of D-amphetamine, L-amphetamine, D,Lamphetamine,and Adderall® at low levels in the striatum and …

Enhanced Grain Crop Yield Monitor Accuracy Through Sensor Fusion And Post-Processing Algorithms, Matthew Wayne Veal

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Yield monitors have become an indispensable part of precision agriculture systemsbecause of their ability to measure the yield variability. Accurate yield monitor data availabilityis essential for the assessment of farm practices. The current technology of measuring grainyields is prone to errors that can be attributed to mass flow variations caused by the mechanismswithin a grain combine. Because of throughput variations, there are doubts regarding thecorrelation between the mass flow measurement and the actual grain volume produced at aspecific location. Another inaccuracy observed in yield monitor data can be attributed to inexactcut-widths values entered by the machine operator.To effectively address these …

Cloning And Expression Of Key Endocrine Genes In A Study On Estrogen Stimulated Sexual Size Dimorphism (Ssd) In Yellow Perch, Scott George Lynn

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) exhibit an estrogen stimulated sexual sizedimorphism (SSD) wherein females grow faster and larger than males. In an effort togain better understanding of this phenomenon, several genes associated with sexualdevelopment, reproduction and growth were cloned, including prolactin (PRL),somatolactin (SL), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-Ib), the estrogen receptors (ER?? andER??a) and ovarian aromatase (CYP19A1). Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assaysfor all the genes listed above, plus growth hormone (GH), were developed to measuremRNA levels in pituitary, liver and ovary.Adult fish were collected from Lake Erie in the spring (May) and autumn(October) over two years and tissue mRNA levels, body weight, …

Age-Related Alterations In The Dynamics Of L-Glutamate Regulation In The Striatum Of The Fischer 344 Rat, Justin Robert Nickell

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

L-glutamate is the predominant excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter inthe mammalian central nervous system. Prior aging studies have focusedprimarily on dopaminergic circuitry of the striatum, and data obtained studyingglutamate regulation in the striatum have been largely equivocal. Thesediscrepancies are due in large part to the limitations of microdialysis; while it isextremely sensitive to minute concentrations of analyte, it is lacking in terms ofthe temporal resolution necessary to study a neurotransmitter with rapid releaseand clearance kinetics such as glutamate. In order to address this matter, ourlaboratory has designed a ceramic-based multisite microelectrode with thecapability to detect and analyze fluctuations in extracellular glutamateconcentrations …

High Order Shock Capturing Schemes For Hyperbolic Conservation Laws And The Application In Open Channel Flows, Chunfang Chen

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Many applications in engineering practice can be described by thehyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Numerical modeling of this typeof equations often involves large gradients or shocks, which makes it achallenging task for conventional numerical methods to accurately simulate suchsystems. Thus developing accurate and efficient shock capturing numericalschemes becomes important for the study of hyperbolic equations.In this dissertation, a detailed study of the numerical methods for linearand nonlinear unsteady hyperbolic equations was carried out. A new finitedifference shock capturing scheme of finite volume style was developed. Thisscheme is based on the high order Pad?? type compact central finite differencemethod with the …

Theory And Application Of Helium And Helium-Like Ions In Astrophysical Environments, Ryan Lucian Porter

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A complete model of helium-like line and continuum emission in astrophysical plasmas has been incorporated into the plasma simulation code CLOUDY. All elements between He and Zn are treated, any number of levels can be considered, and a full treatment of radiative and collisional processes is included. This includes photoionization from all levels, line transfer including continuum pumping and destruction by background opacities, scattering, and collisional processes. The model is calculated self-consistently with the ionization and thermal structure of the surrounding nebula. The result is a complete line and continuum spectrum of the nebula. The model helium atom is described …

Isoprenoid Analogs As Chemical Genetic Tools To Provide Insights Into Farnesyl Transferase Target Selection And Cellular Activity, Jerry Troutman

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Protein farnesylation is an essential post-translational modification required for the function of numerous cellular proteins including the oncoprotein Ras. The farnesyl transferase (FTase) catalyzed reaction is unique because farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), the farnesyl group donor for the reaction, forms a significant portion of a target protein binding site. The major goal of this research was to exploit this unique property of the FTase reaction and determine if changing the structure of the farnesyl donor group would affect FTase protein targeting. A small library of structural analogues of FPP was synthesized. Michelis-Menten steady-state kinetic analyses and competition reactions were used to …

Neural Control Of Cardiovascular Function Following Spinal Cord Injury In Humans, Sevda Coban Aslan

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Maintenance of stable arterial blood pressure during orthostatic challenges is a major problem after spinal cord injury (SCI). Since early participation in rehabilitation is critically important in reducing long term morbidity, recovering the ability to regulate blood pressure during therapy is essential for individuals with SCI. The objective of our study was to investigate short term cardiovascular function of able-bodied (AB), paraplegic (PARA) and tetraplegic (TETRA) subjects in response to head up tilt (HUT) as an early indicator of autonomic damage that might forewarn of future orthostatic regulatory problems. We acquired cardiovascular variables from able-bodied (AB; n=11), paraplegic (PARA; n=5) …

Physiological And Anatomical Assessment Of Synapses At The Crayfish Neuromuscular Junction, Andrew Fredericks Moser Johnstone

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, has a multitude of ideal sites in which synaptic transmission may be studied. Its opener muscle, being innervated by a single excitatory neuron is a good model for studying the structure/function of neuromuscular junctions since the preparation is identifiable from animal to animal and the nerve terminals are visible using a vital dye. This allows ease in finding a suitable site to record from in each preparation and offers the ability to relocate it anatomically. Marking a recorded site and rebuilding it through electron microscopy gives good detail of synaptic struture for assesment.In the first of …

A Mass Spectrometry-Based Study Of Serum Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibition From Pesticide Exposure And Organophosphate Pesticide-Induced Proteome Alteration, Jinchun Sun

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Pesticides including organophosphates (OPs) and carbamates (CBs) are widelyused to control undesirable pests. These compounds are neurotoxic and inhibithydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase. Public healthconcerns have increased with the escalating usage of pesticides. Reliable monitoringprograms are required to detect and quantify pesticide exposure, as well as to promotean understanding of their neurotoxic properties. In this dissertation, both theanticholinergic (Part I) toxicity and neurotoxicity in neuroblastoma cells (Part II) ofpesticides were explored using mass spectrometry (MS). The high sensitivity andhigh-throughput of this technique renders it well-suited for proteomics analysis.Part I describes the study of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition resultingfrom OP …

Oxidative Stress And Redox Proteomics Studies In Models Of Neurodegenerative Disorders: I. The Canine Model Of Human Aging; Ii. Insights Into Successful Aging; And Iii. Traumatic Brain Injury, Wycliffe Omondi Opii

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The studies presented in this dissertation were conducted with the objective ofgaining greater understanding into the mechanisms of successful aging, the role ofmitochondria dysfunction in traumatic brain injury, and also on the mechanisms ofimproved learning and cognitive function in the aging.Aging is usually characterized by impairments in physiological functionsincreasing its susceptibility to dementia and neurodegenerative disorders. In thisdissertation, the mechanisms of dementia-free aging were investigated. The use of anantioxidant fortified diet and a program of behavioral enrichment in the canine model ofhuman aging was shown to result in a significant decrease in the levels of oxidativestress. A proteomic analysis of …

Subdivision Surface Based One-Piece Representation, Shuhua Lai

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Subdivision surfaces are capable of modeling and representing complex shapes of arbi-trary topology. However, methods on how to build the control mesh of a complex surfaceare not studied much. Currently, most meshes of complicated objects come from trian-gulation and simplification of raster scanned data points, like the Stanford 3D ScanningRepository. This approach is costly and leads to very dense meshes.Subdivision surface based one-piece representation means to represent the final objectin a design process with only one subdivision surface, no matter how complicated theobject's topology or shape. Hence the number of parts in the final representation isalways one.In this dissertation we …

Tributary Response To The Lake Livingston Impoundment -- Lower Trinity River, Texas, Zachary Allen Musselman

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe and explain tributary changes within the lower Trinity River basin, Texas, downstream of Livingston Dam. Within southeastern Texas, an opportunistic geomorphic experiment arose when the Trinity River was impounded. The dam represents a marked moment and place of a system perturbation. Geomorphological effects of the lower Trinity River tributaries were investigated through five different types of data: analysis of published discharge and sediment load data, examination of alluvium, planform change as measured from aerial photographs, resurveys of bridge cross-sections, and field mapping of geomorphic indicators of change. Since closure, Lake Livingston has …

Flexible Coding Strategies In Pigeons: Retrospective And Prospective Coding Using A Radial Maze Analog Task, Kelly Ann Digian

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Zentall, Steirn, and Jackson-Smith (1990) found evidence for dual coding in pigeons in a radial maze analog task. Specifically, they found that pigeons used retrospective coding in which previously chosen keys were remembered when a delay was interpolated early in a trial and prospective coding in which to-be-visited keys were remembered when a delay was interpolated late in a trial. An alternative explanation, the criterion shift hypothesis proposed by Brown, Wheeler, and Riley (1989), suggests that these data are consistent with dual coding because of an artifact of the correction procedures used by Zentall et al. The criterion hypothesis suggests …

Interactions Of Avg, Mcp And Heat Treatment On Apple Fruit Ripening And Quality After Harvest And Cold Storage, Valeria Sigal-Escalada

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The effects of AVG, an inhibitor of ethylene synthesis, in combination with MCP or heat treatment (HT) on quality traits of several apple cultivars after harvest (AH) or cold storage (ACS), and the involvement of ethylene in the regulation of SDH activity during the last weeks of fruit development were studied. AVG was applied to Royal Gala, Lodi, Senshu, Redchief Delicious and Red Fuji trees 4 weeks before normal harvest (H1). Control and AVG-treated (AVG) fruit were harvested at H1 and treated with MCP or air-heated. Fruit were ripened at room temperature (RT) AH or ACS. Some AVG fruit were …

Role Of The Neuronal Specific Transcription Coregulator Npdc-1 In Retinoid And Thyroid Receptor Signaling In Human And The Axolotl Ambystoma Mexicanum, Maria Theodosiou

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Section I: This section is an introduction to the field of nuclear receptors. A general overview of nuclear receptor-mediated transcriptional regulation is followed by a review of literature on retinoid and thyroid receptor-mediated signaling. Section II: An introduction to NPDC-1 (neural proliferation, differentiation, and control), its discovery and characterization with regards to developmental expression and cellular localization. In addition NPDC-1 has been found to associate with a number of cell cycle regulatory proteins. NPDC-1 is characterized as a regulator of nuclear receptor-mediated transcriptional regulation. NPDC-1 was also demonstrated to be regulated post-transcriptionally through the ubiquitin/proteosome degradation pathway. Section III: Axolotl …

Entropy Of Electroencephalogram (Eeg) Signals Changes With Sleep State, Blesy Anu Mathew

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

We hypothesized that temporal features of EEG are altered in sleep apnea subjects comparedto normal subjects. The initial aim was to develop a measure to discriminate sleep stages innormals. The longer-term goal was to apply these methods to identify differences in EEGactivity in sleep apnea subjects from normals. We analyzed the C3A2 EEG and anelectrooculogram (EOG) recorded from 9 normal adults awake and in rapid eye movement(REM) and non-REM sleep. The EEG signals were filtered to remove EOG contamination. Twomeasures of the irregularity of EEG signals, Sample Entropy (SpEn) and Tsallis Entropy, wereevaluated for their ability to discriminate sleep stages. …

The Universal Media Book, Shilpi Gupta

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

We explore the integration of projected imagery with a physical book that acts as a tangible interface to multimedia data. Using a camera and projector pair, a tracking framework is presented wherein the 3D position of planar pages are monitored as they are turned back and forth by a user, and data is correctly warped and projected onto each page at interactive rates to provide the user with an intuitive mixed-reality experience. The book pages are blank, so traditional camera-based approaches to tracking physical features on the display surface do not apply. Instead, in each frame, feature points are independently …

Fabrication Of Polymer Based Optical Devices For Communication And Sensing, Sandhya Pochiraju

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Polymer waveguides present a potentially low cost alternative to electronics in communication systems. Polymers offer relatively straightforward and economical fabrication when compared to conventional materials. In this study, a fabrication process for Bragg gratings in polymer waveguides was developed. Waveguides were designed using finite-element analysis, patterned via e-beam lithography, and a detailed fabrication method was developed. Surface-Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a widely accepted method for biological and chemical sensing. Measurement of bulk refractive index changes and specific surface binding is a crucial part in any biosensing. Design and fabrication of a novel self-referencing SPR sensor is described and its functionality …

Optimization Of Cutting Conditions For Sustainable Machining Of Sintered Powder Metal Steels Using Pcbn And Carbide Tools, Kunal J. Joshi

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Powder metals are becoming a popular choice in the automotive and other manufacturing industries because of their ability to meet wide ranging product functional requirements without compromising the performance of the product. They offer various advantages, including weight reduction, near net-shape processing capability, and their ability to be sintered to achieve desired properties in the end-product. However, in order to satisfy the product design requirements during manufacturing, they need to be machined to the required tolerances. Machining of powder metals is quite different to machining of traditional metals because of their specific properties, including porosity. This thesis work deals with …

Differentiating Acculturation And Ethnic Identity In Predicting African American Psychosocial Functioning, Andrea Michelle Smith

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Ethnic identity is a significant psychological variable for the study of African Americans in the United States and often associated with psychological health. However, the nature of this relationship is sometimes unclear. One reason for the confusion may be that ethnic identity is often confounded with acculturation as they are sometimes used interchangeably in research. Because of this confounding problem, it is not clear whether the relationship between ethnic identity and psychological health is really a reflection of ethnic identity or of ethnic identity confounded with acculturation. Thus, the aim of this study was to use factor analysis to separate …

Molecular Mechanisms That Mediate Metastasis Suppressor Activity Of Nm23-H1, Qingbei Zhang

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to distant sites. It is the most dangerous attribute of cancer, and also the principle cause of cancerrelated morbidity and mortality. Metastasis suppressor genes are a group of genes that suppress tumor metastasis without significant effect on tumorigenicity. NM23 was the first identified metastasis suppressor gene, and loss of its expression is a frequent hallmark of metastatic growth in multiple cancers (e.g. melanoma, carcinomas of breast, stomach and liver). NM23-H1 possesses at least three enzymatic activities, including nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK), histidine kinase (hisK), and a more recently described …

Effects Of Management On Reproductive Efficiency In Thoroughbreds, Reka Nagy

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Many factors influence the reproductive efficiency of thoroughbred mares. This thesisestimated two separate models for 13 farms in the 2004 breeding season. One model isestimated for pregnancy outcomes, the other is estimated for breeding intervals.Statistically significant variables include age of the mare, number of breedings, certainmedications, farm size, last date of breeding for the first model. Statistically significantvariables for the second model include age, status of mare, number of breedings, certainmedication, and farm size. The model has implication to achieve an optimal breedingschedule and associated management decisions

A Feasibility Study Of Opening And Operating A Precision Farming Firm In Kentucky, Thomas Joseph Logsdon

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

In the recent past precision farming has become increasingly popular amongfarmers. However, little has been done to study the business aspect of precision farming,with most research focusing on the production side. This purpose of this thesis is tostudy the feasibility of successfully opening and operating a precision farming firm inKentucky. To determine the feasibility of such a venture a computer model was createdand a producer survey was designed and distributed to farmers in Western and CentralKentucky.The purpose of the computer model was to determine the factors that wouldinfluence the successful operation of a precision farming firm including number of acresserviced …