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Creating A Cohesive Triple Bottom Line: Helping The Urban Planner As A Liaison To The Citizen, Jeffery Earl Bell Jan 2012

Creating A Cohesive Triple Bottom Line: Helping The Urban Planner As A Liaison To The Citizen, Jeffery Earl Bell

Planning Theses - Archive

This thesis is an attempt to create a viable liaison tool for the urban planner to create a cohesive idea of the Triple Bottom Line of sustainability between the citizen and the government of the city. By using consistent policy standards and adequate focus upon the new ideas of a sustainable lifestyle, the city should be able to create a viable structure for the future. In order to create a viable Triple Bottom Line, the citizen and the government will need to combine long term planning with current policy and standards of use and compliance in order to dedicate a …

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Essays On Option Market Information Content, Market Segmentation And Fear, Mishuk Anwar Chowdhury Jan 2012

Essays On Option Market Information Content, Market Segmentation And Fear, Mishuk Anwar Chowdhury

Finance and Real Estate Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation consists of three essays. The first essay tests whether stock returns can be predicted using divergence from put-call parity. Using a robust methodology that controls for the early exercise premium of American put and call options, the study shows that stocks with upside divergence from put-call parity outperform stocks with downside divergence from put-call parity. Predictability is persistent over multiple holding periods and divergence is also predictive of tail events. The second essay examines segmentation of equity and option markets in the presence of information asymmetry. The study uses the slope of the implied volatility skew as a …

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A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain Jan 2012

A Comparison Of Economic Development Between Texas Cities Using The Economic Development Tax 4a/4b And Texas Cities Not Using The Tax, Ravindra Kumar Jain

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Over the last three decades, economic development has been a major policy issue in the State of Texas. But after the amendment of the Development Corporation Act of 1979 and subsequent amendments, municipalities are using the provisions of Section 4A and 4B to enhance economic development. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Section 4A/4B adopting cities are doing better in employment and income growth than the non-adopting cities. Methods. Using the employment, income, population, and quality of life variables data for years 1990, 2000, and 2007, this study evaluates the impact of ED policies of Sections …

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The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek Jan 2012

The Children Of Mexican Immigrants In U.S.Public Schools: Exploring Their Parents' And Teachers' Perception And Knowledge Gaps, Uvaldina Janecek

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

The influx of Mexican immigrants has posed enormous challenges to the nation's public school systems where migration is rapidly increasing. The high Hispanic dropout rate points to a failure in educating Latinos and has received ample attention from researchers, educators, and policymakers; but the achievement disparities persist. Using the lens of critical theory to investigate the presence of a "hidden curriculum" that promotes the dominant ideology in our public school system, this study explores perception gaps between Mexican immigrant parents and the American teachers of their children in a suburban Texas school district where Latinos are in the minority. The …

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How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver Jan 2012

How To Be An Effective City Manager: Narrative Insights From Leaders Within The Profession, Malcolm Khalid Oliver

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze what is necessary to be an effective city manager. Based upon a review of the literature that is presented in Chapter 1, a semi-structured survey was developed which allowed the researcher to interview city managers about the primary aspects of managing a city. The theoretical framework of this dissertation rest on the assumption that city managers can articulate for themselves what is necessary to be an effective city manager. In addition, since these professionals operate in an inter-subjective environment, the narrative method was utilized as a mode of inquiry in order to …

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The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis Jan 2012

The Multi-Campus System's Role In Maintaining Institutional Diversity In Texas, Public Universities, Rebecca J. Lewis

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Institutional diversity is a long-held value in U.S. higher education with origins dating back 300 years to pre-Revolutionary colonial colleges. Institutional diversity is still valued today, but Institutional theory predicts that institutional organizations, such as universities, will homogenize without intervention to prevent loss of diversity. Multi-campus systems should guard against homogenization as their primary function is to define the missions of constituent universities and ensure diversity throughout the system. Working under the assumptions of Institutional theory and the functional tenets of a multi-campus system, the purpose of this study was twofold; to determine if public universities in Texas were homogenizing …

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Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit Jan 2012

Knowledge Management In Higher Education In Thailand, Surat Chumjit

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

This study examines how knowledge management (KM) is applied to higher education in Thailand, and it will also examine whether higher education in Thailand is ready to combine KM with their educational missions in terms of teaching, research, administration, and strategic planning. Knowledge creation and social networking frameworks are used to help understand approaches that higher education institutions in Thailand have used with KM in their day to day operations. The qualitative method is used to explore and understand KM applications within four autonomous universities in Thailand. In-depth interviews were used in this study and the narrative method is used …

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Monetary Policy In The Organization Of Eastern Caribbean States: How Important Is The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank In Crafting Policy, Moses Pologne Jan 2012

Monetary Policy In The Organization Of Eastern Caribbean States: How Important Is The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank In Crafting Policy, Moses Pologne

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

The research examines the effectiveness of monetary policy in improving standards of living at the local level in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. The study postulates that monetary policy should not be viewed strictly as the responsibility of the national government, instead, under specific conditions it can be viewed as a local economic development strategy. A combination of interviews and econometric techniques are applied to determine whether monetary policy is as useful as other more widely discussed variables in urban planning and policy making. The findings support monetary policy as a local economic development strategy in situations where certain …

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Variation In Commercial Property Tax Appraisal Accuracy In Texas, James Howard Johnson Jan 2012

Variation In Commercial Property Tax Appraisal Accuracy In Texas, James Howard Johnson

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Article 8 of the Texas Constitution requires property taxation to be "equal and uniform," and state law requires nearly all real property to be assessed at 100% of market value. Despite these requirements, evidence exists that the appraisals of some high-value commercial properties, specifically downtown class A office buildings, vary widely from market value. According to the state Comptroller's Property Value Studies, residential property tends to be fully valued for tax purposes. An equity issue arises from the apparent undervaluation of high-value commercial properties, which typically are owned by wealthy individuals and institutional investors.While residential property tends to be homogeneous …

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Performance Evaluation And Finite Element Analysis Of Fiber Reinforced Precast Concrete Underground Structures, Ashley Wilson Jan 2012

Performance Evaluation And Finite Element Analysis Of Fiber Reinforced Precast Concrete Underground Structures, Ashley Wilson

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

This study aimed at evaluating the performance of BASF Synthetic and Steel fibers as alternative reinforcements in concrete pipes. A total of 93 synthetic fiber and 60 steel fiber reinforced pipes were produced and tested based on the ASTM C497 in order to have a benchmark for comparison with conventionally reinforced concrete pipes. Three production sites with different production equipment were used in different geographical locations in the United States. Standard ASTM C76 diameters of up to 36 in. with "Wall-B" and "Wall-C" were used in this study for both synthetic and steel fibers. Vertical and horizontal load-deformation plots for …

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Engineering Behavior Of Lime Treated High Sulfate Soils, Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Gaily Jan 2012

Engineering Behavior Of Lime Treated High Sulfate Soils, Ahmed Hassan Mohamed Gaily

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Regardless of increased knowledge and awareness of sulfate heave, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) continues to experience pavement failures during and immediately after construction on transportation infrastructures intended to last at least 20 years. Failures are predominantly observed in sites where high sulfate soils of 8,000 ppm or higher levels. Many of these failures are attributed to sulfate-induced heave where an expansive mineral called Ettringite is formed from calcium-based stabilizers (lime or cement) reacting with water, clay, and sulfates. The reactions responsible for Ettringite formation are extremely complex which make generalizations concerning the rate and magnitude of heaving in …

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Comparative Application Of Two Nanoparticles In Cement Mortar, Vinoth Mohanam Jan 2012

Comparative Application Of Two Nanoparticles In Cement Mortar, Vinoth Mohanam

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and Carbon Nanofibers (CNFs) are two of the most promising advanced materials in the construction industry due to their excellent material properties. In this study, their application in cement mortar is studied comparatively as possible choice for concrete repair. CNT and CNF have very high aspect ratio due to which the Van der Wal forces between the CNT and CNF tend to agglomerate; thus forming bundles. In order to achieve proper dispersion, ultrasonic energy was used to disperse the CNT and CNF in the aqueous solution. The mechanical properties such as compressive strength and flexural strength of …

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The Effects Of Climate, Soil, And Vegetation On The Design Of Water Balance Covers For Solid Waste Landfills In Texas, Salman Baig Jan 2012

The Effects Of Climate, Soil, And Vegetation On The Design Of Water Balance Covers For Solid Waste Landfills In Texas, Salman Baig

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of climate, soil, and vegetation on the design of water balance (WB) covers for solid waste landfills in Texas. This study was conducted using water balance software (UNSAT-H model) that considers unsaturated soil hydraulics and plant water uptake. To date, limited research has been conducted for WB covers in Texas. Texas is located in the central region of the United States and encounters approximately nine distinct 5 inch precipitation increments or ranges, unlike any other state in the United States. Texas includes various climate regions and is a favorable choice …

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Effect Of Saline Water On Landfill Gas Generation Of Municipal Solid Waste, Yogavathani Sivanesan Jan 2012

Effect Of Saline Water On Landfill Gas Generation Of Municipal Solid Waste, Yogavathani Sivanesan

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The Enhanced Leachate Recirculation (ELR) landfills operation results in rapid waste stabilization, waste decomposition and increased rate of gas generation. However, operating landfill as an ELR landfill requires availability of sufficient amount of fresh water in close proximity to the landfill facility. In coastal regions, where fresh water supplies may be scarce, available saline water may be considered for ELR operation. However, the effects of saline water on the decomposition solid waste and landfill gas generation are unknown and need to be investigated., The objectives of the current research are to investigate the effects of adding and/or recirculating saline water …

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Identifying Issues Impacting Productivity Of Box Jacking Projects, Bhaumi Bhavan Chaurasia Jan 2012

Identifying Issues Impacting Productivity Of Box Jacking Projects, Bhaumi Bhavan Chaurasia

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Jacking is a trenchless construction technique used for installing underground pipeline system. Jacking method is more widely used for upgrading under capacity culverts and drainage structures under roads and railroad tracks. Also, this method is used for installing underground pipelines such as watermains, sewers etc.in populated and developed urban areas. In this method, culverts (segments) are installed through the ground from an entry shaft to an exit shaft. During the excavation and spoil removal processes, workers are required to be inside the pipe, this is essentially what separates pipe jacking trenchless construction method from microtunneling technology. The minimum recommended diameter …

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Effect Of Nano Zero Valent Iron On Degradation Of Municipal Solid Waste In Bioreactor Landfills, Meenakshi Gangopadhyay Jan 2012

Effect Of Nano Zero Valent Iron On Degradation Of Municipal Solid Waste In Bioreactor Landfills, Meenakshi Gangopadhyay

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Nanotechnology has substantial potential for reducing contamination, toxicity and overall human health hazards and environmental risks. In recent times, nano zero valent iron has proved to be effective in contaminant reduction and pollution control. Iron is an important micronutrient for the microbes involved in the anaerobic decomposition of solid waste in bioreactor landfills. Landfill leachate sometimes contains toxic compounds which nano zero valent iron has proven to be very effective in removing, particularly chlorinated organics, heavy metals, and odorous sulfides. Iron can also potentially increase landfill methane generation by removing long chain fatty acids and sulfides that inhibit methanogenesis.nZVI materials …

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Transformational Leaders Wanted: Dallas Independent School District's Aspiring Principals Program, Jennifer Lee Parvin Jan 2012

Transformational Leaders Wanted: Dallas Independent School District's Aspiring Principals Program, Jennifer Lee Parvin

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The purpose of this research was to explore and describe the development, implementation, andimpact of the Dallas Independent School District's (ISD) Aspiring Principals Program. This study of principal preparation has relevance as a K-16 issue for two primary reasons. First, K-12schools are focused on graduating students who are college and career ready and strong principal leadership is an essential component in achieving this post-secondary success. Second, most school leaders are prepared--and certainly certified--through a university program so a discussion of best practices in principal preparation is pertinent as a K-16 issue.Following the review of literature which examined the changing role …

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Investigations Into Causes Of Failure Of Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces, R. Collins Watson Jan 2012

Investigations Into Causes Of Failure Of Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces, R. Collins Watson

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

All highly selective methods of neural interfacing for mental control of a robotic prosthesis tested to date have exhibited high rates of failure over time. Regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces (RPNIs) may offer the greatest potential among the proposed technologies for providing the number of degrees of freedom necessary to control a robotic limb, but are unacceptable for clinical use due to several shortcomings of current technology: (1) all RPNIs tested to date have exhibited signal loss over time due to biological mechanisms of rejection of implanted electrodes; (2) all chronically tested interfaces have suffered from high rates of device failure …

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Pleiotrophin Enhance Nerve Regeneration Across Long Gap Peripheral Nerve Defects, Swarup Narayan Dash Jan 2012

Pleiotrophin Enhance Nerve Regeneration Across Long Gap Peripheral Nerve Defects, Swarup Narayan Dash

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Peripheral nerve injuries resulting in extensive loss in nerve continuity pose a challenge in reconstructive surgery. Autografts still remain the treatment of choice for nerve defects despite the need of donor nerve harvest and the associated morbidity of this procedure. In contrast to short gap injuries, isografts achieve sub normal functional recovery for gaps longer than a critical 30 mm length, and simple tubularization methods fail completely. The regenerative failure of peripheral nerves through long gaps can be postulated to the lack of appropriate growth substrate and trophic support. We hypothesize that for successful nerve regeneration across long-gap nerve defects, …

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An Investigation Of Pipe Jacking Loads In Trenchless Technology, Saeed Rahjoo Jan 2012

An Investigation Of Pipe Jacking Loads In Trenchless Technology, Saeed Rahjoo

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Pipe jacking is a trenchless technology method of installing pipes under existing facilities such as roads and railroads. Predicting jacking forces is important for planning, design, and construction phases of these projects. The jacking forces dictate shaft or pit locations, thrust block or backstop design, jacking equipment, use of intermediate jacking stations, and pipe bearing capacity. Calculating jacking forces depends on several site and project parameters such as soil and site conditions, lubrication, size of overcut, and steering corrections. Excessive jacking forces can damage the pipe and destabilize the drive shaft, which may stop project progress. There are different methods …

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Performance Of Large Diameter Polyvinyl Chloride (Pvc) Pipes In Water Applications, Pradip P. Deshmukh Jan 2012

Performance Of Large Diameter Polyvinyl Chloride (Pvc) Pipes In Water Applications, Pradip P. Deshmukh

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes with diameters greater than 24" make up a small fraction of water utilities. Most of the research done on PVC pipes in water utilities focuses on diameters less than 24". Therefore, this thesis focuses on PVC water main pipelines with a diameter greater than 24" in an attempt to understand their performance in the water management facilities. This thesis had several objectives, such as to evaluate 24" and larger diameter PVC pipes in water transmission and distribution applications, calculate failure rate per hundred miles of PVC pipes at water utilities, categorize age of PVC pipelines with …

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Magnetic-Based Theranostic Nanoparticles For Prostate Cancer Management, Aniket Sharadrao Wadajkar Jan 2012

Magnetic-Based Theranostic Nanoparticles For Prostate Cancer Management, Aniket Sharadrao Wadajkar

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

With an increasing rate of cancers, the need for effective cancer management has led to the development of theranostic systems for diagnosis and therapy. Conventional techniques for cancer management have limited success due to inaccurate diagnosis and treatment side effects. Development of magnetic-based theranostic nanoparticles (MBTN) may overcome these limitations with the advantages of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) such as magnetic targeting, hyperthermia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents; and advantages of polymer coatings for carrying payloads and allowing bioconjugation for active targeting applications. Aim of this research was to develop multifunctional MBTNs for prostate cancer management. First, biodegradable photoluminescent …

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Rural Principals' Perspectives Of Social Justice Leadership In Schools, Holly Nicole Bishop Jan 2012

Rural Principals' Perspectives Of Social Justice Leadership In Schools, Holly Nicole Bishop

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

This qualitative study explores how principals who are leaders for social justice in rural high schools perceive student diversity, specifically lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) students, and if, how, and why they support all students through the establishment of a socially-just school climate. Additionally, the study investigates how the context of the schools, specifically rural communities with conservative values, affects principals' perceptions and implementation of a positive climate for all students. This study offers modifications to Theoharis' (2007, 2009) social justice leadership theory and extends Theoharis' (2007) model of resistance, offering insight into how rural school communities reflect …

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Long-Term Performance Of Gfrp Reinforced Concrete Beams And Bars Subjected To Aggressive Environments, Yeonho Park Jan 2012

Long-Term Performance Of Gfrp Reinforced Concrete Beams And Bars Subjected To Aggressive Environments, Yeonho Park

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars in reinforced concrete (RC) structures has emerged as an alternative to traditional steel reinforcement environments and other applications where steel has shown greater vulnerability. Although the number of analytical and experimental studies on RC beams with FRP reinforcement has increased in recent decades, its long term performance is still questioned in comparison to the traditional steel reinforcement. That is, long-term performance is a much recognized but less-mentioned topic in the field of the reinforced concrete with glass-FRP (GFRP) re-bars. There is a need to validate long-term performance of FRP reinforced concrete structures, and …

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A Novel Minimally Invasive Dual-Modality Fiber Optic Probe For Prostate Cancer Detection, Vikrant Sharma Jan 2012

A Novel Minimally Invasive Dual-Modality Fiber Optic Probe For Prostate Cancer Detection, Vikrant Sharma

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in males, and is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in United States. In prostate cancer diagnostics and theapy, there is a critical need for a minimally invasive tool for in vivo evaluation of prostate tissue. Such a tool finds its niche in improving TRUS (trans-rectal ultrasound) guided biopsy procedure, surgical margin assessment during radical prostatectomy, and active surveillance of patients with a certain risk levels. This work is focused on development of a fiber-based dual-modality optical device (dMOD), to differentiate prostate cancer from benign tissue, in vivo. dMOD …

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Exploring College Readiness: The Role Of Dual Credit And Ses On College Persistence And Student Success, Charles Rowett Jan 2012

Exploring College Readiness: The Role Of Dual Credit And Ses On College Persistence And Student Success, Charles Rowett

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Texas' 2006 House Bill 1, which required all high schools in Texas to provide students with the opportunity to earn a minimum of 12 hours of college credit prior to their graduation beginning the fall of 2008, changed the high school experience. The goal of the bill was to smooth the transition from high school to higher education. By looking at data from before, during, and after the implementation of House Bill 1, the results of this study shed light on the success or failure of Texas' 2006 House Bill 1 regarding college persistence and student success. The study used …

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Methodology Of Citric Acid Based Functional Biomaterial Development And Application, Yi Leaf Zhang Jan 2012

Methodology Of Citric Acid Based Functional Biomaterial Development And Application, Yi Leaf Zhang

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Biomaterials play critical roles in modern strategies of biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, and theranostic therapy. Attempts to design ideal biomaterials for each specific application have led to an enormous increase in the number of polymeric biomaterials. Different biomedical applications require specific functionality of biomaterials. Unfortunately, the limited versatility of currently available biodegradable polymers fails to meet the wide range of requirement for biomedical applications. Therefore, a methodology of functional biomaterials development would be beneficial to the biomaterial field. It has been proved that citric acid can be utilized as a key element in the development of novel biodegradable …

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" . . . But The Light's Better Here," He Said: Mischance, Misapplication, And Misdirection In Data-Driven Applications, Ramona Lowe Jan 2012

" . . . But The Light's Better Here," He Said: Mischance, Misapplication, And Misdirection In Data-Driven Applications, Ramona Lowe

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

The primary purpose of this study was to provide quantitative data on the use of released Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exams as benchmark test instruments in a sample population. Teachers have expressed concern over "teaching to the test," especially with the use of benchmark testing. This study was specifically undertaken to determine the extent of this practice, especially in light of published material from Texas Education Agency (TEA) that states this practice is not an appropriate use of the released instrument. An additional purpose was to gain quantitative data on the use of data harvested from both …

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Phase Sensitive Spectral Domain Interferometry For Label Free Biomolecular Interaction Analysis And Biosensing Applications, Sajal Chirvi Jan 2012

Phase Sensitive Spectral Domain Interferometry For Label Free Biomolecular Interaction Analysis And Biosensing Applications, Sajal Chirvi

Bioengineering Dissertations - Archive

Biomolecular interaction analysis (BIA) plays vital role in wide variety of fields, which include biomedical research, pharmaceutical industry, medical diagnostics, and biotechnology industry. Study and quantification of interactions between natural biomolecules (proteins, enzymes, DNA) and artificially synthesized molecules (drugs) is routinely done using various labeled and label-free BIA techniques. Labeled BIA (Chemiluminescence, Fluorescence, Radioactive) techniques suffer from steric hindrance of labels on interaction site, difficulty of attaching labels to molecules, higher cost and time of assay development. Label free techniques with real time detection capabilities have demonstrated advantages over traditional labeled techniques. The gold standard for label free BIA is …

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Dynamic Bus Lane, Isaac F. Joskowicz Jan 2012

Dynamic Bus Lane, Isaac F. Joskowicz

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation documents the research conducted to investigate the feasibility of implementing a "Dynamic Bus Lane" (DBL) system on Westheimer Road in Houston, Texas, and to determine the particular conditions when the system could be applied to other arterial streets. The DBL system is a bus preferential system which would turn a normal traffic lane into a bus lane when a bus is approaching a bus stop at a major intersection. The bus would activate a dynamic message sign that would change the lane use from a normal traffic lane to a bus lane for the time when the bus …

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