Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Hierarchical Self-Assembly And Substitution Rules, Daniel Alejandro Cruz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A set of elementary building blocks undergoes self-assembly if local interactions govern how this set forms intricate structures. Self-assembly has been widely observed in nature, ranging from the field of crystallography to the study of viruses and multicellular organisms. A natural question is whether a model of self-assembly can capture the hierarchical growth seen in nature or in other fields of mathematics. In this work, we consider hierarchical growth in substitution rules; informally, a substitution rule describes the iterated process by which the polygons of a given set are individually enlarged and dissected. We develop the Polygonal Two-Handed Assembly Model …

Reconstruction Of Radar Images By Using Spherical Mean And Regular Radon Transforms, Ozan Pirbudak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is the recovery of functions and finite parametric distributions from their spherical means over spheres and designing a general formula or algorithm for the reconstruction of a function f via its spherical mean transform. The theoretical study is and supported with a numerical implementation based on radar data. In this study, we approach the reconstruction problem in two different way. The first one is to show how the reconstruction problem could be converted to a Prony-type system of equations. After solving this Prony-type system of equations, one can extract the parameters that describe the corresponding …

Power Graphs Of Quasigroups, Dayvon L. Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We investigate power graphs of quasigroups. The power graph of a quasigroup takes the elements of the quasigroup as its vertices, and there is an edge from one element to a second distinct element when the second is a left power of the first. We first compute the power graphs of small quasigroups (up to four elements). Next we describe quasigroups whose power graphs are directed paths, directed cycles, in-stars, out-stars, and empty. We do so by specifying partial Cayley tables, which cannot always be completed in small examples. We then consider sinks in the power graph of a quasigroup, …

An Optimal Medium-Strength Regularity Algorithm For 3-Uniform Hypergraphs, John Theado

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Szemere´di’s Regularity Lemma [32, 33] is an important tool in combinatorics, with numerous appli- cations in combinatorial number theory, discrete geometry, extremal graph theory, and theoretical computer science.

The Regularity Lemma hinges on the following concepts. Let G = (V, E) be a graph and let ∅ /= X, Y ⊂ V be a pair of disjoint vertex subsets. We define the density of the pair (X, Y ) by d_G(X, Y ) = |E[X, Y ]|/(|X||Y |) where E[X, Y ] denotes the …

Illuminating Changes In Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions About Teaching Elementary Mathematicsin An Introductory Methods Course, Elaine Cerrato

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Producing highly skilled elementary mathematics teachers capable of facilitating mathematics learning in ways aligned with The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000) and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM), is a common objective of teacher preparation programs (National Governors Association & Chief Council of State School Officers, 2010). After decades of effort, Brown (2003) argues, teachers continue to teach in the way they were taught; thus, they disregard mathematics standards. As Abell, Appleton, and Hanuscin (2010) note, students’ preexisting ideas relevant to the nature of learning and teaching stem from experiences in their schooling, life, and …

The Systems Of Post And Post Algebras: A Demonstration Of An Obvious Fact, Daviel Leyva

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1942, Paul C. Rosenbloom put out a definition of a Post algebra after Emil L. Post published a collection of systems of many–valued logic. Post algebras became easier to handle following George Epstein’s alternative definition. As conceived by Rosenbloom, Post algebras were meant to capture the algebraic properties of Post’s systems; this fact was not verified by Rosenbloom nor Epstein and has been assumed by others in the field. In this thesis, the long–awaited demonstration of this oft–asserted assertion is given.

After an elemental history of many–valued logic and a review of basic Classical Propositional Logic, the systems given …

Analyses Of Unorthodox Overlapping Gene Segments In Oxytricha Trifallax, Shannon Stich

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A ciliate is a phylum of protozoa that has two types of nuclei, macronuclei and micronuclei. There may be more than one of each type of nucleus in the organism [1]. The macronucleus is the structure where protein synthesis and cell metabolism occur [1]. The micronucleus stores genetic information and is mobilized during a sexual reproduction process called conjugation [1]. The somatic macronucleus (MAC) is developed from the germ-line micronucleus (MIC) through genome rearrangement during a sexual reproduction process called conjugation [6, 8]. Segments of the MIC that form the MAC during conjugation are called macronuclear destined sequences (MDSs) [8]. …