Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Ultra-Stable Protein-Polymer Bioconjugates, Kyle S. Cole

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Variability Of Particulate And Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Absorption In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico, Ashley Ann Lojek

Master's Theses

Coastal regions influenced by large freshwater inputs exhibit large variability in absorption and associated optical properties. Therefore, understanding coastal ecosystem processes requires intensive, ongoing sampling. Analysis of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River plumes took place on board the RIV Pelican on two separate cruises. MagMix-1 occurred from May 1 to May 8, 2008 and corresponded to the highest discharge periods for both rivers for 2008; MagMix-11 took place October 31 to November 6, 2008 and corresponded to the lowest discharge periods for both rivers for 2008. Samples were collected along four transects in the northern Gulf of Mexico and were …

Factors Influencing The Spatial And Temporal Distrubtion Of Primary Productivity And Community Respiration In The Mississippi Coastal Estuarine Region, Ryan Anthony Vandermeulen

Master's Theses

This study describes the spatial and temporal distribution of net primary productivity (NetPP) and respiration (RESP) in relation to the biogeochemical, optical, and hydrographic variability in the Mississippi Sound and Mississippi Bight over the course of one year. Surface in-situ measurements of NetPP and RESP were regularly determined at two stations by a time-course detection of dissolved oxygen (DO) using novel optode technology. In addition, various biogeochemical, optical, and hydrographic parameters were examined over 14 stations throughout the estuary over a year, using ground and satellite (MODIS Aqua) measurements. In this study, consistently low dissolved inorganic N:P ratios (average N:P …

Mortality Assessment Of Redwood And Mixed Conifer Forest Types In Santa Cruz County Following Wildfire, Steve R. Auten

Master's Theses

On August 12, 2009, the Lockheed Fire ignited the west slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains burning approximately 7,819 acres. Foresters and other land managers were left with challenging decisions on how to evaluate tree mortality. Big Creek Lumber Company, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly)’s Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR), and other resource professionals familiar with this region teamed up to develop a method for evaluating damage and thereby mortality for redwood, California nutmeg, live oak, tanoak, California bay, Pacific madrone, big leaf maple, Douglas-fir, Monterey pine, and knobcone pine. Quantitative damage criteria were used to design …

The Effects Of Color Concentrates On The Rheology Of Tint Bases, Doug James Herrick

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

THE EFFECTS OF COLOR CONCENTRATES ON THE RHEOLOGY OF TINT BASES

Douglas James Herrick

Waterborne coatings are formulated with a number of different ingredients; water, latex polymers, pigments, surfactants, dispersants, defoamers, biocides, coalescing aids, and rheology modifiers or thickeners. Rheology modifiers are necessary in order to improve the physical properties of the coating before, during, and after application to a substrate. There are two kinds of rheology modifiers used in waterborne coatings; associative thickeners and non-associative thickeners. Coatings formulated with associative thickeners are quite sensitive to coating variations; the slightest change in the formulation has profound effects on the …

Controlling Nanoparticle Dispersion For Nanoscopic Self-Assembly, Nathan S. Starkweather

Master's Theses

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter and devices on the nanometer scale. Below the critical dimension length of 100nm, materials begin to display vastly different properties than their macro- or micro- scale counterparts. The exotic properties of nanomaterials may trigger the start of a new technological revolution, similar to the electronics revolution of the late 20^th century. Current applications of nanotechnology primarily make use of nanoparticles in bulk, often being made into composites or mixtures. While these materials have fantastic properties, organization of nano and microstructures of nanoparticles may allow the development of novel devices with many unique properties. …

Effects Of Silvicultural Management On Coast Redwood Forest Composition, Density And Structure In Santa Cruz And San Mateo Counties, Michael J. Papa

Master's Theses

The multiple-objective exploratory study investigates effects of various silvicultural management regimes commonly applied to coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens [D. Don] Endl.) forests in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties, California, USA. A temporary forest inventory was installed in 24 harvest origin stands and 4 natural origin stands throughout the study area (sample area = 1189 acres). Data from the systematic sample of 233 one-quarter acre nested cluster plots (sample intensity = 4.9%) rendered overall forest descriptions in terms of species composition, density, and structure. The common forestry measures of trees per acre (TPA), basal area per acre (BA), and …

Preparation Of Nitrogen-Containing Heterocycles Via Cyclization Of Pyridine-Tethered Organolithiums, Elizabeth Archer

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Design And Synthesis Of Fluorescence Turn-On Probes For Iron, Randy K. Jackson

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

3-D Seismic Interpretation, Seismic Attribute Analysis, And Well Log Interpretation Of An Area Between Ellis And Rooks Counties, Kansas, Vilma I. Perez De Pottella

Master's Theses

The researched area covers the extent of the Keller 3D seismic survey [2 mi2 (5.2 km2)] and is located approximately 12 miles northeast of the city of Hays, Kansas and NW of Ellis and SW of Rooks counties, Kansas. Eight producing oil wells along with one dry hole are located within the research area. This study is focused on the Cambrian-Ordovician Arbuckle Group which is the principal oil bearing reservoir within the research area and in the region. Interpretation of the Keller 3-D seismic data, well-log correlation and a study and description of the drilling samples suggest that the Arbuckle …

An Economic Analysis Of Wine Grape Production In The State Of Connecticut, Jeremy L. Jelliffe

Master's Theses

The Connecticut Wine and Vineyard industry has grown at a steady 3.9% per year over the past decade (ATTTB, 2009). Economic models estimate that the wineries sub-sector contributes $38 million dollars to the state economy and direct employment of 106 residents (Lopez et al., 2010). Programs to support and foster further growth of the industry and CT farm vineyard culture include the Department of Agriculture’s CT Wine Trail and the annual CT Wine festival (DOAG, 2010). Farmland preservation groups also support vineyard development since grape growing tends to secure tracts of farmland for long periods of time.

Investment analysis for …

Anti-Corrosion Performance Of Primer And Top Coat Formulations For Metal Substrates, Laural Elizabeth Hargrove

Master's Theses

This project involved the improvement of several properties of the current “universal” primer coating sold by Kelly-Moore Paint Company. This formulation is an all purpose primer used both for interior and exterior applications. However, its corrosion resistance has room for improvement. The addition of sodium nitrite, an aminocarboxylate salt, and a zinc phosphate-based additive were all tested as corrosion inhibitors. In addition, during the project the coating binder was changed to improve adhesion. After a systematic experimental program, a new “universal” primer with increased corrosion resistance and adhesion was formulated.

A direct to metal top coat formulation sold by Kelly-Moore …

Movement, Habitat Use And Detection Probability Of Bridle Shiner Estimated By Patch Occupancy Modeling In A Connecticut Watershed, Timothy Jensen

Master's Theses

The bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) is believed to have once been an important prey item throughout its native range; however, recent reports suggest populations have declined significantly and the species is now widely considered as imperiled. Habitats that are associated with this species are typically difficult to sample using traditional methods, making it unclear how much of the observed range reduction could be actual or perceived. My objectives were to estimate detection probability of bridle shiner, evaluate the importance of habitat on their distribution, and determine patterns of movement among habitat patches. I employed a repeated surveys design …

Weierstrass Points On Families Of Graphs, William D. Lindsay Jr.

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Producing Data To Support The Detection And Understanding Of Early On-Set Corrosion In Accelerated Weathering, Stephanie Suzanne Messer

Master's Theses

The goal of the research reported herein was to generate data towards the development of methods and protocols for detecting, quantifying, and understanding early on-set corrosion events on and above aluminum 2024-T3. The studies focused on incorporating two main fluorescent probes into a few model epoxy and/or urethane coatings to detect X and Y axis specific pH changes occurring upon and above the substrate during pre-macroscopic corrosion. The primary fluorophore used was fluorescein, a pH sensitive probe capable of detecting the changes, mainly increases in pH that accompanies aluminum corrosion. The second molecular probe, rhodamine B, was utilized to better …

The Effect Of Poss Modified Montmorillonite On Elastomer Nanocomposites, Elana Celeste Lewis

Master's Theses

The goal of this thesis was to define the structural factors that determine performance in clay/rubber nanocomposites when polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) is used as a dispersant. POSS has been shown previously to enhance clay, metal oxides, and carbon nanotube dispersion in thermoplastics matrices, but their performance in rubber systems has not yet been explored. There is little fundamental understanding of how POSS interacts with clay and how these modified fillers react with rubber matrices. This thesis aims to develop a greater understanding of the mechanisms of POSS-clay modification through the examination of two different POSS-clay systems and their effect …

Opportunistic Random Media Access In Wlans, Chong Tang

Master's Theses

This thesis proposes a new medium access protocol for IEEE 802.11 wireless local area networks, which is called opp01tunistic medium access. The protocol changes the media access opportunities of nodes by adjusting the contention window dynamically according to the different bit rates. Thereby, the protocol can reduce collision and improve throughput significantly. The n·aditional IEEE 802.11 standards access channel with binary exponential back-off algorithm and all nodes choose the back-off interval from the same initial range. The new protocol in this thesis divides nodes as well as contention windows in proportion to data rate. It offers three methods to group …

Synthesis Of Half-Loaded Nitroimidazole Indocyanine Green Dyes Attached To Carbon Nanotubes, Courtney L. Stanford

Master's Theses

Indocyanine green dye is the only FDA approved NIR fluorescent dye that can be used in humans. 2-Nitroimidazoles are very effective radiosensitizers, have low cytotoxicity, and target hypoxic tissue. By coupling the two together, hypoxic tumors can be targeted and imaged. Previous work has been done to couple 2-nitroimidazole to both sides of the indocyanine green dye. This work focuses on expanding that concept to couple 2-nitroimidazole to only one side of the dye, thus allowing for the other end to be available to couple to another compound, generating a half loaded 2-nitroimidazole indocyanine green dye. In theory, this half-loaded …

Fluorescence Tagging Of Marine Low Molecular Weight Carboxylic Acids, Brian C. Gismervik

Master's Theses

This thesis aims at the evaluation of the best amide bonding strategy that places a fluorescence aminomethyl coumarin tag onto a LMW organic acid in aqueous solution. A three-stage study was conducted. First, a suitable aminomethyl coumarin fluorophore was synthesized. Second, a library of acid-derivatized standards was synthesized for use in optimizing the anticipated HPLC separation of a mixture of LMW acids expected to be found in marine samples. Third, the aforementioned amide coupling strategies were screened to identify the most applicable method for our reaction conditions to the tagging of LMW organic acids in a large number of field …

Stratigraphy Of Quaternary Dunes By Sand Mineralogy And Pedogenic Features, Los Osos, California, Lyssa A. Cousineau

Master's Theses

The goal of this study was to assess mineralogy and pedogenic features of sand dunes in a stratigraphic sequence. The purpose was to determine whether these features significantly differ to reflect age differences with depth within the sequence. This study was conducted in Montaña de Oro State Park, located on the central Californian coast eighteen kilometers northwest of San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo County.

Samples were collected from the vertical exposure of one dune face by stratified random sampling at 1.0-m vertical intervals. Particle size distribution was determined through particle-size analysis by hydrometer and sieve. Electrical conductivity and …

The Spatial Distribution Of K-Factor Values Across A Toposequence And A Soil Survey Map Unit, Jacqueline Elizabeth Tilligkeit

Master's Theses

Rivers and streams are adversely affected by an increase in sedimentation in their waters from eroding land. High sediment loads in streams can bury fish eggs and prevent hatching, increasing nutrients in the water causing algae blooms, or even contaminating the water with heavy metals carried in or on the aggregates. The erodibility of soil is valuable knowledge to all land users so that we may predict soil loss and its potential to pollute streams. This is done by using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). By predicting soil loss from a given landscape, land managers can take mitigation …

Investigation Of Trends And Predictive Effectiveness Of Crash Severity Models, James E. Mooradian

Master's Theses

This thesis describes analysis using ordinal logistic regression to uncover temporal patterns in the severity level (fatal, serious injury, minor injury, slight injury or no injury) for persons involved in highway crashes in Connecticut, focusing on the demographic split between senior travelers (65 years and over) and non-senior travelers. Existing state sources provide data describing the time and weather conditions for each crash and the vehicles and persons involved over the time period from 1995 to 2009 as well as the traffic volumes and the characteristics of the roads on which these crashes occurred. Findings indicate an overall increase in …

The Effect Of Polarization And Ingan Quantum Well Shape In Multiple Quantum Well Light Emitting Diode Heterostructures, Patrick M. Mcbride

Master's Theses

Previous research in InGaN/GaN light emitting diodes (LEDs) employing semi-classical drift-diffusion models has used reduced polarization constants without much physical explanantion. This paper investigates possible physical explanations for this effective polarization reduction in InGaN LEDs through the use of the simulation software SiLENSe. One major problem of current LED simulations is the assumption of perfectly discrete transitions between the quantum well (QW) and blocking layers when experiments have shown this to not be the case. The In concentration profile within InGaN multiple quantum well (MQW) devices shows much smoother and delayed transitions indicative of indium diffusion and drift during …

Flexrender: A Distributed Rendering Architecture For Ray Tracing Huge Scenes On Commodity Hardware., Robert Edward Somers

Master's Theses

As the quest for more realistic computer graphics marches steadily on, the demand for rich and detailed imagery is greater than ever. However, the current "sweet spot" in terms of price, power consumption, and performance is in commodity hardware. If we desire to render scenes with tens or hundreds of millions of polygons as cheaply as possible, we need a way of doing so that maximizes the use of the commodity hardware we already have at our disposal.

Techniques such as normal mapping and level of detail have attempted to address the problem by reducing the amount of geometry in …

Development Of A Quantitative High Throughput Method For The Early Detection Of Corrosion On Coated Aluminum, Jeffrey Clayton Foster

Master's Theses

Eight fluorescent indicators were evaluated for their ability to detect the corrosion of aluminum metal substrates. The fluorophore Rhodamine-salicylaldehyde (RSA) was selected as a candidate for further study based on its ability to bind and detect aluminum ions at low concentrations, its selectivity for aluminum ions, its long-term stability, its solubility in our solvent-based epoxy formulation, and its compatibility with our testing method.

A recent publication suggested that an alternative method of fluorescence activation was possible—an acid-promoted ring opening that occurred in the absence of metal ions. To prove the capability of RSA to bind aluminum ions, thorough ¹H …

The Development Of Transparent, Processable, Thermally-Responsive Coatings, Christopher David Roland

Master's Theses

Polymer matrices are commonly used as guest-host systems for organic chromophores for use in non-linear optical materials. The chromophores must be aligned or poled in an electric field in order to impart anisotropy and non-linear activity to the material. This poling process raises several issues, the two largest being the eventual relaxation of the chromophores back into random orientations due to brownian motion, and high molecular weight polymer matrices limiting chromophore mobility during poling. The prevention of this relaxation process is an area of significant interest, especially in applications that require long term coating stability and activity. In this study, …

Cuda Web Api Remote Execution Of Cuda Kernels Using Web Services, Massimo J. Becker

Master's Theses

Massively parallel programming is an increasingly growing field with the recent introduction of general purpose GPU computing. Modern graphics processors from NVIDIA and AMD have massively parallel architectures that can be used for such applications as 3D rendering, financial analysis, physics simulations, and biomedical analysis. These massively parallel systems are exposed to programmers through in- terfaces such as NVIDIAs CUDA, OpenCL, and Microsofts C++ AMP. These frame- works expose functionality using primarily either C or C++. In order to use these massively parallel frameworks, programs being implemented must be run on machines equipped with massively parallel hardware. These requirements limit …

Gpu-Accelerated Point-Based Color Bleeding, Ryan Daniel Schmitt

Master's Theses

Traditional global illumination lighting techniques like Radiosity and Monte Carlo sampling are computationally expensive. This has prompted the development of the Point-Based Color Bleeding (PBCB) algorithm by Pixar in order to approximate complex indirect illumination while meeting the demands of movie production; namely, reduced memory usage, surface shading independent run time, and faster renders than the aforementioned lighting techniques.

The PBCB algorithm works by discretizing a scene’s directly illuminated geometry into a point cloud (surfel) representation. When computing the indirect illumination at a point, the surfels are rasterized onto cube faces surrounding that point, and the constituent pixels are combined …

Point-Spread Function Assessment Of Sg-Dbr Based Swept Source For Oct Imaging, David Wilkey Gilbert

Master's Theses

Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) is a medical imaging technique that requires high repetition rate, widely-tunable coherent laser sources. Sampled grating distributed Bragg reflector (SG-DBR) lasers are proven in telecom applications and are expected to fulfill the requirements for SS-OCT at a significantly lower cost than alternative solutions.

Constructed entirely on a semiconductor substrate, SG-DBR lasers require four synchronized waveforms to modulate the output wavelength and intensity. Because of this unique tuning mechanism, there are a number of systematic and noise sources that can affect the quality of the OCT point-spread function (PSF). Based on these noise sources, software …

Improvement Of Statistical Process Control At St. Jude Medical's Cardiac Manufacturing Facility, Christopher Lance Edwards

Master's Theses

Sig sigma is a methodology where companies strive to reproduce results ending up having a 99.9996% chance their product will be void of defects. In order for companies to reach six sigma, statistical process control (SPC) needs to be introduced. SPC has many different tools associated with it, control charts being one of them. Control charts play a vital role in managing how a process is behaving. Control charts allow users to identify special causes, or shifts, and can therefore change the process to keep producing good products, free of defects.

There are many factories and manufacturing facilities having implemented …