Digital Commons Network^™

Biosorption Of Priority Pollutants Of Petroleum Refinery Wastewater, Deen Adnan Sheikha

Theses

Heavy metals and organic materials pollution in the aquatic system have become a serious threat today. Zinc, phenol and naphthalene are common environmental contaminants. The fate and transport of these chemicals must be sufficiently understood to predict detrimental environmental impacts and to develop technically and economically appropriate remedial action to minimize environmental degradation. In this study, microbial biomass has emerged as an option for developing economic wastewater treatment. Dead algal biomass may passively sequester metals and organic materials by the process of biosorption from dilute solutions, where biomass functions as an ion exchanger by virtue of various reactive groups available …

Support Within A Community, Lance Neirby

Theses

A description of the author's thesis project to create a sculpture installation demonstrating the significance of support within a community, using the form of Foxtail Bristle Grass as a model for a metal and wood sculpture. Includes photos of the thesis exhibition as well as other works that inspired its creation.

A Psychophysical Investigation Of Global Illumination Algorithms Used In Augmented Reality, Timothy Hattenberger

Theses

Global illumination rendering algorithms are capable of producing images that are visually realistic. However, this typically comes at a large computational expense. The overarching goal of this research was to compare different rendering solutions in order to understand why some yield better results when applied to rendering synthetic objects into real photographs. As rendered images are ultimately viewed by human observers, it was logical to use psychophysics to investigate these differences. A psychophysical experiment was conducted judging the composite images for accuracy to the original photograph. In addition, iCAM, an image color appearance model, was used to calculate image differences …

Does Exposure Science Support The Concern Over Indoor Air Quality?, Kenneth Kasper

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the growing concern over indoor air quality (IAQ) and determine if such concern is warranted. The first questions that steer this effort include: Does scientific research substantiate a causal link between IAQ contaminants and human health? In addition, which indoor air contaminants appear to present the greatest health risks? These questions were answered primarily by reviewing exposure science based criteria that have been developed by federal and state agencies and then comparing these criteria to nominal concentrations that have been measured in the workplace. The second purpose of this thesis was to …

Demarcation Of Coding And Non-Coding Regions Of Dna Using Linear Transforms, Krithika Venkat

Theses

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) strand carries genetic information in the cell. A strand of DNA consists of nitrogenous molecules called nucleotides. Nucleotides triplets, or the codons, code for amino acids. There are two distinct regions in DNA, the gene and the intergenic DNA, or the junk DNA. Two regions can be distinguished in the gene- the exons, or the regions that code for amino acid, and the introns, or the regions that do not code for amino acid. The main aim of the thesis is to study signal processing techniques that help distinguish between the regions of the exons and the …

Online Clustering With Single-Pass Topology Based Fuzzy Clustering Algorithm, Abhishek Jaiantilal

Theses

Online clustering is of significant interest for real-time data analysis. Generic offline clustering methods such as K-Means, C-Means and others are computationally expensive. The computational burden of these methods increases non-linearly with the size of the data set. In addition these methods usually require a good amount of supervised knowledge yielding a non-unique solution. For real-time data analysis, there is an important tradeoff between accuracy and computational efficiency. An unsupervised one-pass clustering method that efficiently adapts to data distribution and evaluation is proposed. This method, Topology-Based Fuzzy Clustering (TFC), uses the topology of data to discover clusters. TFC uses the …

A New Approach To Feature Extraction For Rna Structure Comparision, Girish Prakash Walawalkar

Theses

In recent years, RNA structural comparison becomes a crucial problem in bioinformatics research. Generally, it is a popular approach for representing the RNA secondary structures with arc-annotation sets. Several methods can be used to compare two RNA structures, such as tree edit distance, longest arc-preserving common subsequence (LAPCS) and stem based alignment. However, these methods may be helpful only for small RNA structures because of their high time complexity. In this thesis, we propose a simplified method to compare two RNA structures in O(mn) time, where m and n are the lengths of the two RNA sequences, respectively. The method …

Doppler Ultrasound Technique Used To Determine The Blood Flow Viscosity In The Middle Cerebral Artery Of A Canine Animal Model, Raj P. Ganpath

Theses

The cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery of an canine animal model was measured using the Doppler Ultrasound technique. A transducer was designed with a 20 MHz piezoelectric crystal and used for the application. An in vitro calibration system was designed and machined for the purpose of testing and calibrating every transducer before using it in vivo. Preliminary tests included experiments on the in vitro system and measurement of blood flow velocity in the human wrist artery (metacarpal artery). The effect of using different transmission media (agarose and gelatin) was determined through the many in vitro and …

Impact Of Missed Beats On Heart Rate Variability Using Time-Frequency Analysis, Kilbrom T. Hailu

Theses

ECG recordings, especially during an exercise stress test, are exposed to artifacts. The source of artifacts can be due to technical problems, biological events and errors in the automatic detection. As a result missed beats, extra beats and ectopic beats can occur. In this study analysis of missed beats is performed using time-frequency analysis. Some of the patient's data had missed beats.

Fourier spectral analysis was first applied to the missed beats during the resting state. The impact of missed beats using Fourier spectral analysis is significant, especially, when the missed beats are in a row. The Fourier spectral analysis …

Classifying Rna Secondary Structures Using Support Vector Machines, Prathy Usha Sunkara

Theses

In contrast to DNA, RNA prevails as a single strand. As a consequence of small self-complementary regions, RNA commonly exhibits an intricate secondary structure, consisting of relatively short, double helical segments alternated with single stranded regions. The amount of sequence data available is rising rapidly day by day. One of the problems encountered on a specific molecule is finding the relevant data between the massive number of other sequences to be done by reading lists with a short description of all new entries in large databases already existing. One of the main objectives of this work is to take the …

Solvent Targeting, Avoidance And Recovery Trials (Start), Kealan Allen

Theses

Solvent is the largest-volume raw material used at Janssen Pharmaceutical (Ire) Ltd. Over 2.2 million m³ were used in 2004. The top 13 solvents make up 99% of this amount. There are two main uses for solvent on site, processing and cleaning. Processing uses 55% of the total solvent used on site, cleaning uses the remainder.

Waste solvent forms the majority of the hazardous waste produced at Janssen. Three treatment options exist at present for this waste: incineration, recovery for reuse and energy recovery. All of the hazardous waste produced on site must be exported for these treatment options, …

Synthesis Of Some Pyridinone Nucleoside Analogues As Antitumor Agents, Shaikha Saif Saeed Alneyadi

Theses

Abstract

3-Deazapyrimidine nucleosides have been shown to exhibit great potential as pro drug for use in medicine especially as antagonists to cancer tumors and the HIV-virus. Recent research has focused on the design, synthesis and characterization of novel nucleoside analogues.

Fluoropyridinone and their corresponding nucleoside derivatives have been synthesized and characterized to induce the activity against tumors. 4, 6-diaryl-3-cyano-2(1H)-pyridinones (82a-i) and their nucleosides were prepared. A trifluoromethyl group was introduced into the pyridinone ring system to study its effect on different tumor cells. The glycoside analogues (83a-e, 85a-e, 87a-e and 88a-d) have been synthesized …

Expression Of Tumor Suppressor Genes During Breast Cancer Progression In The Rat, Wafa Saqer Rashid Abdullah Aldhaheri

Theses

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United Arab Emirates and all over the world. Although many factors contribute to the high incidence of breast cancer, a considerable number of cases are related to environmental factors. In this study, breast cancer was induced in female rats using a single dose, 80 mg/kg body wt, of the environmental carcinogen 7,12- dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA). The aim was to characterize some of the early cellular and molecular changes that occur during breast cancer development in the DMBA-treated rat model. Mammary gland …

Effects Of Novel Synthetic Nucleosides As Anti-Tumor Agents On Human Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cell Line (Hl-60), Salma Awad Merghani Mahmoud

Theses

Nucleosides and their analogs are considered a clinically proven class of therapeutic agents possessing anticancer and antiviral activity. Several trifluoromethyl-substituted pyrazole N-nucleosides (coded NIA, NIIA and NIIA) and their nucleobases were synthesized and tested for the ability to induce apoptosis in acute human promyelocytic cell line (HL-60). The growth and proliferation of HL-60 was more effectively inhibited by NIA, NIIA and their nucleobases compared to NIIIA and its nucleobase. In addition, DNA fragmentation was detected in a concentration-dependent manner as a result of nucleosides treatment. A caspase-3-dependent apoptosis was observed based on the Western blot analysis of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) …

Zero Effluent Stretch Target (Zest), Orla O'Connor

Theses

The goals of this project were to assess the viability of avoiding water use and of “cascading” water uses, i.e. using outlet water from one process in another activity, possibly with some purification, including the upgrading of the final effluent stream for internal reuse. Water use has been inventoried at FMC Biopolymer, Cork. Avoidance and reduction measures were identified that could reduce water consumption from 49m /hr to 19 m /hr (a reduction in excess of 60%), with an annual saving in excess of €350,000. These projects were assessed for feasibility and implementation. Potential streams that could be subject to …

Enhancing Science Education Through Engaging Visual Content, David Kavanagh

Theses

In recent years a decline in the number of Irish students choosing to study science, at second level and on into third level, has become potentially harmful to the desired creation of a science-based knowledge economy. A primary contributing factor towards this decline is a lack of interest in the subject within the classroom, as was established by The Task Force on the Physical Sciences in 2002.

The primary aim of this Masters research is to investigate the role of visualisation in making the study of science more accessible and engaging to students to counter this decline. To this end …

Development Of An Automated Template Selection And Alignment Tool For Protein Structure Homology Modeling, David R. Riley

Theses

DNA and protein sequence data sets have exploded in size over the past several years and have stimulated the development of new methods for closing the sequence/structure gap. Bench laboratory methods, while being the most accurate, are still far too time consuming and limited to breech this gap. Thus computational methods have become the standard. The work described here details the development of a system to automatically select a structural template, align the template and query sequence and model the query. The system was implemented fully for antibodies but maintains a modular design that can accommodate a wider variety of …

Rochester Institute Of Technology's Laser Safety Manual, Joseph Whitney

Theses

Rochester Institute of Technology's Laser Safety Manual and Training Guide have been created as a recommended safety manual and training guide to help laser users work with lasers and laser systems in a safe manner. Standard operating procedures and protocols have been provided in order to assist the laser user in complying with Local, State, and Federal regulations.

The immense number and variation of lasers that are available makes laser safety a necessity. This manual contains guidelines that enable the laser user to identify areas of concern and apply corrective actions as needed. This manual addresses a wide array of …

"An Analysis Of Fresh Water Rivers As An Alternative Source Of Energy In Remote Areas Of Ireland”, Gerard Brendan Fitzgerald

Theses

Ireland has become overly dependent on oil imports and is now very vulnerable to price increases and oil supply shortages. Coupled with this, demand for electricity has grown rapidly in recent years, the electricity market structure has changed, environment protection is of greater importance, and overall the need for renewable energy powered electricity generation has increased. Wind powered electricity generation facilities play an important role in Ireland’s renewable energy portfolio but other methods of power generation are necessary to complement this variable and unpredictable resource. Hydroelectricity is a well-established method of power generation capable of fulfilling this role. Large-scale hydropower …

Digital Filmmaking: Methods And Practices For The Production Of The Library And Traffic Signals, James M. Martin

Theses

The focus of this culminating project was to produce a short film on digital video using the skills and theories learned during the graduate Communication LCIE course of study. This project also utilized specialized equipment introduced during senior level Cinematography, Lighting for Film and Video, and Location Sound courses. The main goal was to have a completed work that held to the traditions of film while also taking advantage of the inherent benefits and dealing with the limitations of digital video.

Since the introduction of digital editing and digital video image acquisition, a debate has persisted within the video and …

An Investigation Into The Factors Affecting The Retention And Achievement Of Computing Students Attending Institutes Of Technology In Ireland, (Volumes 1), Carol O Shea

Theses

This research is a longitudinal case study of a cohort of five hundred and seventy-eight students attending computing courses at seven Institutes of Technology in Ireland. The investigation charts the progress of this cohort of students throughout the four-year duration of their programme from the time they commenced their course in 2001 to their graduation in 2005. The central aim of this research is to investigate the factors contributing to the achievement and retention of these students as they progress through their course. Relationships and patterns of association between attainment on the course and students’ prior educational, socio-economic and demographic …

Evolutionary Algorithms For Production Scheduling, Pio Fenton

Theses

The permutation with repetition representation is a powerful representation primarily used in the GA-JSSP domain. Recently, attention has shifted from this representation for simple GA and towards JSSP resolution using messy GA. This work returns to the permutation with repetition representation for simple GA with the intention of exploring some previously unexplored aspects. A new 1-point crossover operator is introduced which is shown to be more successful than the current standard operator for this representation. A technique known as morphogenic computation is employed with this representation for the first time and a thorough analysis of its performance is presented. While …

Quantification Of Mrna Expression Of Her2/Neu, Estrogen Receptors Eralpha And Erbeta, And Progesterone Receptor Using Real-Time Reverse Transcription Pcr In Small Tumor Biopsies, In Human Breast Cancer, Evonne Marie. Mc Cabe

Theses

Early detection is an effective means of reducing cancer mortality. Early detection greatly improves treatment options and the chances for successful treatment. The prognosis for patients with breast cancer is determined by well-established biological features associated with biological aggressiveness, histological grade, tumour size, and nodal involvement. Breast cancer results from multiple genetic abnormalities, and cellular differentiation, tumour growth, and metastatic potential are the end result of these changes. Identification of molecular changes is of considerable value in enhancing the accuracy of prognostic indices, and more importantly, it may indicate various changes as putative targets for therapy. In recent years a …

Molecular Epidemiology Of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Enterica Strains From Different Animal And Human Sources In Ireland, David George Lee

Theses

In this study, 176 isolates of Salmonella were collected from different laboratories in Ireland. All isolates were confirmed to be of the genus Salmonella by performing bacteriological and biochemical tests. Briefly, all isolates were cultured onto XLD agar after which pure cultures were verified and stocked at this institute. Definitive identification was carried out using the API 20-E system and a separate urease test was also performed on all isolates. After confirmation of the genus, all isolates were prepared for antibiotic susceptibility testing and r-types were determined using sixteen antibiotics. Depending on the antibiotic resistance profiles, isolates were selected for …

Development Of Electroanalytical Methods For The Determination Of Sialic Acid As A Biomarker For Cancer, Khawla Ali Rashid Al-Tayyari

Theses

Sialic acid (SA) is a general term for a family composed of 43 derivatives of neuraminic acid. Whereas N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) is the most commonly occurring sialic acid in human. There has been a great interest in the determination of SA in humans because variations in SA level was linked to different medical conditions and diseases. In particular, serum SA are elevated in several types of cancers. SA also exists in Erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone, which induces the production of red blood cells and hence used in the treatment of anemia.

Although of the great physiological significance of SA …

Effects Of Medicinal Plants On Lead Induced Toxicity Of Biotransformation And Redox Cycling Enzymes, Yusra Saif Khalfan Al Dhaheri

Theses

All organisms including humans are constantly and unavoidably exposed to foreign chemicals (xenobiotics), which include both manufactured and natural molecules such as pollutants and plant metabolites. One such alarming pollutant is lead as it is constantly produced from automobiles exhaust products and food containers. It has been documented that lead, as the major heavy metal pollutant in the air, has notable effects on nervous systems and efficiency of several enzymes.

There are some natural products such as medicinal plants that might have antagonistic effects against such pollutants. Several medicinal plants are used as traditional remedies for many ailments without knowing …

A Study Of Factors Influencing The Occurrence Of Algae Bloom (Hab) Along The Abu Dhabi Coast, Uae., Buthaina Salem Saeed Al Qubaisi

Theses

During last few years, the frequency of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) has increased worldwide. The occurrence of HAB in the Gulf region has only recently been recorded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Specifically, these occurrences have not been thoroughly investigated. This phenomena, was found to be associated with the increase in nutrient load, depletion of oxygen and a significant decrease in fish populations that is caused by a bloom of a certain phytoplankton species, results in economic and social problems. Therefore, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) has decided to conduct a study on different aspects of this phenomenon of …

Fabrication Of Array Microstructures By Localized Electro-Deposition, Nidal Khalaf Alshwawreh

Theses

Localized Electro-Deposition (LED) is now highly receiving scientists and researchers attention for its advantages over conventional fabrication techniques. These advantages include simplicity of the setup thus reducing the overall fabrication cost, capability of producing 2D and 3D high aspect ratio microstructures and its ability to fabricate microstructures from various raw materials. Efforts now are taking place in order to standardize the fabrication by LED to develop a commercial setup that is capable of producing complex microstructures which, in tum, can be integrated in different applications including microelectronics, microelectrochemical systems (MEMS) and sensors applications. The standardization process is performed by studying …

Computational Fluid Dynamics And Experimental Studies Of An Energy-Efficient Uv Disinfection System For Water Treatment, Nancy Goenawan

Theses

In typical commercial UV treatment system, water is flushed through a reactor vessel, where a UV lamp irradiates the flowing water. The distribution of the UV dose is extremely non-uniform. At distances away from the light, the dosage will be too low to kill the microorganism. As a result more power is needed in such a system for an effective treatment. A new energy-efficient UV disinfection system, named "Off Center", was designed, developed, and tested. This "Off Center" system consists of a UV bulb that has been relocated from its traditional central location to a location closer to the 4-in …

Preparation For Radiological Disasters: A Radiation Effects Epidemiological Database, Martha S. Raj

Theses

Not Included