Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Theses and Dissertations

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 12451 - 12480 of 19640

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Characterization And Stability Of Bio-Oils Upgraded By Esterification And Olefination, Jingming Tao May 2013

Characterization And Stability Of Bio-Oils Upgraded By Esterification And Olefination, Jingming Tao

Theses and Dissertations

Raw bio-oil is produced by fast pyrolysis of biomass. The high level of oxygen content in bio-oil causes negative properties of polymerization over time, high acidity, pungent odor and low heating value relative to petroleum fuels. The objective of this study was to develop and identify upgrading processes to produce a boiler fuel with reduced acid value, reduced polymerization over time and increased higher heating value. By one upgrading method, raw bio-oil was upgraded by esterification over acid catalyst by batch reaction; a second approach was an in-reactor reaction, produced by injecting methanol or 1-butanol with acid catalyst into the …


Characterization Of Bottomland Hardwood Forests Managed For Desired Forest Conditions, Trent Danley May 2013

Characterization Of Bottomland Hardwood Forests Managed For Desired Forest Conditions, Trent Danley

Theses and Dissertations

Desired forest conditions, or DFCs, are recently created parameters which strive to create diverse stands of hardwoods of various species and age classes, along with varying densities and canopy gaps, through the use of uneven-aged silvicultural methods and repeated stand entries. Little research has been conducted to examine residual stand composition and hardwood regeneration after DFC installment. The objectives of this study were to characterize forest overstory and midstory conditions after DFC treatments, assess the natural regeneration, and to characterize available light in the treatment and control areas. Residual stand conditions after application of DFC harvest guidelines indicate that shade …


Characterization, Inheritance, And Marker Identification Of Potential Novel Genes Conditioning Resistance To Multiple Races Of Cercospora Sojina K. Hara Of Soybean (Glycine Max L.), James Brewer Blessitt May 2013

Characterization, Inheritance, And Marker Identification Of Potential Novel Genes Conditioning Resistance To Multiple Races Of Cercospora Sojina K. Hara Of Soybean (Glycine Max L.), James Brewer Blessitt

Theses and Dissertations

Soybean is an economically important crop. It is a selfertilized species grown on vast contiguous acres. These facts predispose soybean to disease epidemics. Cercospora sojina, causal agent of frogeye leaf spot, has reduced United States soybean productivity 0.3 percent on average per year between 2008 and 2010. Several states have reported the pathogen developing resistance to the strobilurin class of fungicides. To date genetic host resistance has been identified as single dominant genes (Rcs1, Rcs2, and Rcs3). However, the lifespans of Rcs1 and Rcs2 were 10 and 16 years respectively. Currently, the Rcs3 locus has been utilized in all major …


Comparison Of Indigenous And Bio-Augmented Pentachlorophenol (Pcp) Degrading Bacteria For Remediation Of Pcp In Contaminated Groundwater, Vaibhav V. Joshi May 2013

Comparison Of Indigenous And Bio-Augmented Pentachlorophenol (Pcp) Degrading Bacteria For Remediation Of Pcp In Contaminated Groundwater, Vaibhav V. Joshi

Theses and Dissertations

The objective was to compare pentachlorophenol (PCP) degradation in contaminated groundwater by indigenous and bio-augmented (Sphingobium chlorophenolicum and Burkholderia cepacia) PCP degrading bacteria. Indigenous bacteria were identified by cloning and sequencing of 16S rDNA fragments while PCP concentrations were determined by GC-ECD. Gene expression for PCP degrading enzymes: chlorophenol 4-monooxygenase (TftD, B. cepacia) and pentachlorophenol-4-monooxygenase (pcpB, S. chlorophenolicum), was determined by RT-PCR. B. cepacia, a PCP degrading bacteria was identified as dominant indigenous bacteria. PCP concentrations correlated negatively with PCP tolerant bacteria and relative fold gene expression in treatments with air-sparging (phase2) compared to without air-sparging (phase1). PCP concentrations decreased …


Effect Of Dominance In Captive Female White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus), Eric S. Michel May 2013

Effect Of Dominance In Captive Female White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus), Eric S. Michel

Theses and Dissertations

Factors associated with rank position are poorly understood whereas even fewer studies assessed if benefits were associated with increased rank position when resources were unlimited. I assessed whether age, body mass, size, and testosterone levels were important in rank establishment among 132 captive female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). I also assessed if the benefit metrics of improved body condition, decreased stress level, and earlier parturition date were related to rank position. Deer in each of 9 study pens had a linear hierarchy with a mean h Œ of 0.39 (SD = 0.09). Rank position was moderately related to age (P < 0.1) and was strongly related to body mass and size (P < 0.01). There was no relationship between benefit metrics and rank position (P < 0.1). Although increased body mass, size, and age improved rank position there were no benefits associated with increased rank when resources were unlimited.


Effect Of Fishing Effort On The Catchability Of Largemouth Bass, Matthew Glenn Wegener May 2013

Effect Of Fishing Effort On The Catchability Of Largemouth Bass, Matthew Glenn Wegener

Theses and Dissertations

The effect of fishing on the catchability of a population receiving intense angler effort has long been debated but not measured. This study evaluated the effect of fishing effort on catchability of adult largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and determined whether catchability was affected by a period of no fishing. Eight, 0.5-2.0 ha impoundments were fished once a week for 0.4 angler hours per hectare per week during two successive May-October fishing seasons to evaluate whether catch rates differed between populations fished continuously and populations with the fishing season interrupted by a 2-month period of no fishing. Mixed-model analysis indicated effort …


Environmental Impacts Of Formaldehyde Released From And Structural Changes Of Medium Density Fiberboard Disposed In A Simulated Landfill, Min Lee May 2013

Environmental Impacts Of Formaldehyde Released From And Structural Changes Of Medium Density Fiberboard Disposed In A Simulated Landfill, Min Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Wood waste containing formaldehyde based resins are generated yearly and disposed in landfills or burned. No regulations exist in most states and no studies have been conducted to address formaldehyde emission from wood waste buried in landfills. The objective of this study was to: a) determine the amount of formaldehyde released into air and leachate from MDF disposed in a simulated landfill, b) analyze the environmental impacts of leachate containing formaldehyde, and c) investigate change in chemical and morphological properties of disposed MDF. Sampling of MDF, soil and leachate were conducted for determination of formaldehyde weekly for 56 days by …


Evaluating The Use Of Stable Isotopes, Nirs, And Microbial Populations To Detect Dietary Changes In Dairy Calves, Kathryn Marie Cooley May 2013

Evaluating The Use Of Stable Isotopes, Nirs, And Microbial Populations To Detect Dietary Changes In Dairy Calves, Kathryn Marie Cooley

Theses and Dissertations

Three different methods were developed to evaluate nutritional status: stable isotopes, near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS), and microbial populations. In the first method, hair samples were collected, analyzed, stable isotope content greatly differed (P < 0.01) between pre- and post-weaning samples. The second method used NIRS spectral patterns and analyzed fecal samples, and a difference was found around 2100 to 2250 nm where diets containing milk showed a peak, and non-milk diets showed a plateau. Finally, the third method involved profiling microbial populations from fecal samples as calves experienced dietary shifts. Total anaerobes, enterics, and clostridium were different (P<0.05) from pre to post-weaning states. Total anaerobe samples differed (P < 0.005) from milk, milk-grain diets to grain and grain-hay diets. Total aerobes, streptococci, and clostridium samples differed (P <0.001) from the milk diet to the other diets. In summary, all three methods showed differences when comparing pre- to post-weaning states.


Assessment Of Climatic Variability On Water Quality, Quantity, And Crop Productivity In Mississippi Watersheds, Badde Vpl Jayakody May 2013

Assessment Of Climatic Variability On Water Quality, Quantity, And Crop Productivity In Mississippi Watersheds, Badde Vpl Jayakody

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted on two Mississippi watersheds. The SWAT model was applied to the Upper Pearl River Watershed (UPRW) to evaluate flow, sediment, nutrients, and fecal coliform bacteria (FCB) transport. The model was further applied to evaluate crop and sediment yields from three tillage systems (Conventional, Reduce 1, and Reduce 2) of the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW). In the UPRW, flow and sediment simulations showed good to very good model performances (for flow R2 up to 0.76 and NSE up to 0.75; and for sediment R2 up to 0.72 and NSE up to 0.54). Both total nitrogen (TN) …


Assessment Of Reservoir Quality And Potential Impact Of Sequestered Carbon Dioxide In Diverse Lithological Reservoir Units, South Central, Mississippi, Usa, Assonman D. Degny May 2013

Assessment Of Reservoir Quality And Potential Impact Of Sequestered Carbon Dioxide In Diverse Lithological Reservoir Units, South Central, Mississippi, Usa, Assonman D. Degny

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to understand the possible impact of carbon dioxide on different reservoir rocks in south-central Mississippi. Eight samples, including six from the Heidelberg field (Mississippi), were exposed to carbon dioxide under simulated subsurface conditions of elevated temperature and pressure and then analyzed using thin section petrography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and focused ion beam-SEM. Three of the eight samples showed dissolution in calcite and corrosion in smectite. SEM and EDS analysis of treated sample 5 (Se-5/shaly-sandtsone) and sample 8 (S-8/dolomitic-limestone) revealed newly precipitated lath- and fibrous-like crystals composed of sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and calcium (Ca), …


Bacterial Community Succession During Soil And Ecosystem Development, Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam May 2013

Bacterial Community Succession During Soil And Ecosystem Development, Shankar Ganapathi Shanmugam

Theses and Dissertations

Organism succession during ecosystem development has been well studied for aboveground plant communities while the associated pattern of change in microbial communities remains largely unknown. A study was conducted along developmental sand-dune chronosequences bordering Lake Michigan at Wilderness State Park and Altamaha river valley of southeast Georgia with the hypothesis that soil bacterial communities will follow a pattern of change that is associated with soil, plant, and ecosystem development. This study site included 5 replicate sites along 14 dunes ranging in age from 105 to 500,000 years since deposition. The microbial composition and diversity in the soil was studied using …


Tung Tried: Agricultural Policy And The Fate Of A Gulf South Oilseed Industry, 1902-1969, Whitney Adrienne Snow May 2013

Tung Tried: Agricultural Policy And The Fate Of A Gulf South Oilseed Industry, 1902-1969, Whitney Adrienne Snow

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. tung oil industry began as a government experiment in plant diversification but businessmen mistakenly interpreted this interest as an endorsement of domestic production and began growing tung trees in the Gulf South states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The new crop quickly caught the attention of paint, varnish, and ink companies in the northern and Midwestern states and created a buzz among chemurgists like Henry Ford and other industrialists who eagerly expanded tung acreage. With the erection of the first crushing mill in 1928, the tung oil industry began but it did not acquire any …


Understanding The Role Of Personal, Psychosocial And Occupational Factors And Their Interactions On Low Back Pain Severity In Workers, Nirathi Keerthi Govindu May 2013

Understanding The Role Of Personal, Psychosocial And Occupational Factors And Their Interactions On Low Back Pain Severity In Workers, Nirathi Keerthi Govindu

Theses and Dissertations

Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent work-related musculoskeletal disorder. Occupational risk factors have been studied for current ergonomic prevention strategies; however, other underlying mechanisms may exist since not all workers performing the same task develop the same severity. Previous research has identified personal and psychosocial risk factors that also contribute to LBP. Research quantifying the interactive effects of the various personal, psychosocial and occupational factors is limited, along with research on the effect of risk factor combinations on LBP severity. The objectives of this study were to: 1) study the various factors that are known to be involved …


Use Of Biophotonic Models To Monitor Biological Compounds Via The Angiogenic System, Ramey C. Youngblood May 2013

Use Of Biophotonic Models To Monitor Biological Compounds Via The Angiogenic System, Ramey C. Youngblood

Theses and Dissertations

Angiogenesis is a central process to both physiological and pathological aspects of living organisms. Understanding the angiogenic system via the key mediator, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has led to the development of biophotonic models capable of monitoring how this process is programmed. The whole animal model tested here is based on the involvement of angiogenesis in a wound healing environment. This model proved to be functional as a system monitor but lacked the precision to yield significant results between the biological compounds tested (estrogen, methoxychlor, and relaxin). The in vitro model is based on angiogenesis in a cancer environment. …


Sperm Proteins And Chromatin Dynamics Associated With Male Fertility, Sule Dogan May 2013

Sperm Proteins And Chromatin Dynamics Associated With Male Fertility, Sule Dogan

Theses and Dissertations

The impacts of the paternal genome and proteins transferred to the oocyte through spermatozoa cannot be neglected during mammalian embryonic development. Studies over the past 40 years suggest that sperm chromatin alterations (such as DNA fragmentation induced by either chromatin condensation errors, apoptosis and/or oxidative stress) might be negatively associated with fertilization and early embryonic development [1, 2], [3] [4].However, precise molecular mechanisms by which sperm chromatin integrity and sperm proteins impact early embryonic development still remain unclear. Therefore, the objectives of this study were 1) determine DNA fragmentation induced by apoptosis its relationship with male fertility in spermatozoa from …


Implications For The Detection, Utilization, And Degradation Of Bark Beetle-Attacked Southern Pines By Subterranean Termites, Nathan S. Little May 2013

Implications For The Detection, Utilization, And Degradation Of Bark Beetle-Attacked Southern Pines By Subterranean Termites, Nathan S. Little

Theses and Dissertations

Bark beetles regulate forest succession by removing weakened or stressed trees and exposing understory species to light from canopy gaps. Subterranean termites are predominate decomposers of coarse woody debris in southern pine forests; however, little is known about their role in forest health and succession. Both groups of insects rely heavily on fungal symbioses to fill their respective ecological niches in southern pine forests. During recent inspections of southern pine timber, we observed that trees in the early stages of bark beetle attack often had subterranean termites in blue-stained portions of the trunk. The frequency of subterranean termite presence in …


Instructional Approaches In Social Studies: A Comparison Of The Impact On Student Achievement And Attitude, Carolyn Gaye Tucker May 2013

Instructional Approaches In Social Studies: A Comparison Of The Impact On Student Achievement And Attitude, Carolyn Gaye Tucker

Theses and Dissertations

Many students feel that studying social studies is boring and not relevant to their lives. In social studies, the most common method of instruction is the transmission model in which the textbook becomes the curriculum and the teacher transmits knowledge through lecture. In the participatory model of instruction, the teacher facilitates student-led literature discussion groups utilizing narrative and expository trade books with the textbook as a resource. Previous research has indicated that instructional methods may affect student attitude and achievement; however, there is limited empirical research that is definitive on which instructional method is significantly better for students. The purpose …


Mechanisms And Variability Of Glyphosate Resistance In Amaranthus Palmeri And Ipomoea Lacunosa, Daniela Neves Ribeiro May 2013

Mechanisms And Variability Of Glyphosate Resistance In Amaranthus Palmeri And Ipomoea Lacunosa, Daniela Neves Ribeiro

Theses and Dissertations

The resistance of Palmer amaranth (PA) and the tolerance (natural resistance) of pitted morningglory (PM) to glyphosate have made these species among the most common and troublesome weeds in the southeastern U.S. since the adoption of glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops. Populations of GR PA (R1 and R2) were identified in Mississippi. The inheritance of glyphosate resistance was examined in reciprocal crosses (RC) between glyphosate-resistant (R) and -susceptible (S) parents (Female-S × Male-R, S/R, and Female-R × Male-S, R/S), and second reciprocal crosses (2RC) (Female-S/R × Male-S/R, S/R//S/R, and Female-R/S × Male-R/S, R/S//R/S). Dose-response assays resulted in 17- to 4old resistance to …


Microhabitat Use By Translocated Wild Turkeys In The Mississippi Delta, Matthew Ryan Mckinney May 2013

Microhabitat Use By Translocated Wild Turkeys In The Mississippi Delta, Matthew Ryan Mckinney

Theses and Dissertations

Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo silvestris) were extirpated from most of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) by 1980 by overharvest and habitat loss. Federal programs have restored areas of the MAV to hardwood forest, potentially warranting restoring wild turkeys to the MAV. As part of a pilot restoration study, I gathered data on resource use and nest sites from July 2010–August 2011. I observed intraspecific niche specialization and spatial niche separation between genders. Spatiotemporal variation in resource availability and intraspecific competition appear to be factors influencing intraspecific niche specialization. Mature hardwood forest was primary habitat selected by translocated wild turkeys. …


Forest Stand Preference Of Sirex Nigricornis, And Sirex Noctilio Hazard In The Southeastern United States, Kevin D. Chase May 2013

Forest Stand Preference Of Sirex Nigricornis, And Sirex Noctilio Hazard In The Southeastern United States, Kevin D. Chase

Theses and Dissertations

The Eurasian wood wasp, Sirex noctilio, is considered a secondary pest in its native range; however, it has caused significant economic damage when introduced to pine plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. Sirex noctilio was recently introduced to the northeastern U.S., which has raised concerns about its potential impact on Southeastern pine plantations. This research was conducted to understand how silvicultural management affects populations of a native wood wasp, Sirex nigricornis, a wood wasp with similar ecosystem functions as S. noctilio. Sirex nigricornis abundance was higher in un-managed pine plantations than in managed plantations, mixed, and old growth forests. Additionally, geospatial …


Genetic Insight Into The Function Of Pcp1p, A Mitochondrial Rhomboid Protease, Ningyu Xiao May 2013

Genetic Insight Into The Function Of Pcp1p, A Mitochondrial Rhomboid Protease, Ningyu Xiao

Theses and Dissertations

Rhomboid peptidases are conserved intramembrane serine proteases with mitochondrial family members being involved in mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial rhomboid, Pcp1p, catalyzes the cleavage of two substrates: Ccp1p, which breaks down reactive oxygen species, and Mgm1p, a GTPase mediating mitochondrial fusion events. As an initial approach to determine the structural basis of Pcp1p activity, a screen to identify temperature sensitive alleles of PCP1 was performed using hydroxylamine mutagenesis. Eight mutants were identified from a pool of 30,000 colonies that exhibited either temperature sensitive growth or respiratory defects. These mutants also exhibited defects in Mgm1p and Ccp1p processing …


Identification Of Virulence Factors In Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Jingjun Lu May 2013

Identification Of Virulence Factors In Edwardsiella Ictaluri, Jingjun Lu

Theses and Dissertations

Edwardsiella ictaluri is the causative agent of enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC), which is one of the most important diseases impacting the US catfish industry. Though this disease has been very common, progress has been slow to find an economical and practical treatment method. Our long-term goal is to determine the mechanisms of E. ictaluri virulence in ESC. The overall objective of this study was to identify E. ictaluri genes required for host encounter and serum resistance and to determine their roles in pathogenesis. The central hypothesis is that E. ictaluri must differentially regulate its genes to invade fish and …


Impact Of Water Management And Agronomic Practices On The Performance Of Insecticide Seed Treatments Against Rice Water Weevil, Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus Kuschel, In Mississippi Rice, Charles Andrew Adams May 2013

Impact Of Water Management And Agronomic Practices On The Performance Of Insecticide Seed Treatments Against Rice Water Weevil, Lissorhoptrus Oryzophilus Kuschel, In Mississippi Rice, Charles Andrew Adams

Theses and Dissertations

Two field trials were conducted to determine the impact of water management on the efficacy of insecticide seed treatments against rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, in rice at the Delta Research and Extension Center during 2011 and 2012. The performance of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin was evaluated when the permanent flood was established at different timings (6 and 8 weeks after planting) and the effect of flush number (0, 1, or 2) on seed treatment performance was evaluated. Seed treatment efficacy was not impacted by delayed flooding, but 2 flushes reduced efficacy of some seed treatments. Experiments were also …


Explicit Finite Element Comparison Of The Lower Human Extremity Under Blast Load, Onyema Oyeka May 2013

Explicit Finite Element Comparison Of The Lower Human Extremity Under Blast Load, Onyema Oyeka

Theses and Dissertations

Most studies on blast explosion focus on a single technique or software. This Thesis directly compares several methods of simulating blast loads using LS-DYNA, ABAQUS and CTH software. The techniques appraised in this thesis include; Jones-Wilkins-Lee (JWL) equation of state (EOS), spherical incident wave formulation, and a direct planar blast load application. In the first section of this study, we analyzed a free air-blast generated by detonating 100 g of composition-4 (C-4). Next, we placed and examined the lower extremity model under the same blast parameters in different coupled and uncoupled scenarios. In the free air-blast study, all three codes …


Expression Of Dna-Damage Response Genes In Cells Affected By Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Andrea Rodgers Jones May 2013

Expression Of Dna-Damage Response Genes In Cells Affected By Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Andrea Rodgers Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Proper regulation of apoptosis during pneumococcal pneumonia is essential for resolution of infection. We hypothesized that reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during infection causes sufficient DNA damage to alter expression of pro-apoptotic proteins. Despite inducing DNA damage, challenge with pneumococci did not cause alterations the expression of the pro-apoptotic protein Puma (p53 up-modulated regulator of apoptosis) at early (4 and 6 hour) and late (16 and 24 hour) time points tested in this study. Puma-dependent global expression patterns were assessed, and the data demonstrated significant changes in expression of various genes (Prdx2, Ripk1, Api5 and IL-10) involved in cell death …


Fairgrounds Or Community: A Cabin Owners' Perception Of Place, Christopher Derek Nause May 2013

Fairgrounds Or Community: A Cabin Owners' Perception Of Place, Christopher Derek Nause

Theses and Dissertations

This case study focused on the Neshoba County Fair, located outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi, to investigate the role of design elements that foster a sense of community within the built environment. The fairground is unique because it exhibits two developed areas that portray different approaches to design: one that is sensitive to the landscape and one that is less respectful of original development practices. This research utilized a mailed survey, distributed to cabin owners within the fairground boundary. The survey examined whether cabin owners of the fair relate the sense of community with the elements in their built environment, as …


Fiber Separation From Milled Corn And Sorghum Using The Elusieve Processfor Value Addition To Feed And Biofuel Production, Tejas S. Pandya May 2013

Fiber Separation From Milled Corn And Sorghum Using The Elusieve Processfor Value Addition To Feed And Biofuel Production, Tejas S. Pandya

Theses and Dissertations

Corn is widely used as animal feed as well as for fuel ethanol production. Fiber present in corn is not digested well by non-ruminants such as chicken and swine. Also, this fiber does not participate in conversion of starch to ethanol. Fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process, a combination of sieving and air classification, would result in high starch animal feed and increase ethanol productivity. The objective of the first part of this dissertation was to understand the effect of retention screen size in the hammer mill on fiber separation from corn flour using the Elusieve process. …


A Morphological And Genetic Study Of Taxonomy And Evolutionary Divergence In Xanthisma Gracile And Xanthisma Spinulosum, Lavanya Challagundla May 2013

A Morphological And Genetic Study Of Taxonomy And Evolutionary Divergence In Xanthisma Gracile And Xanthisma Spinulosum, Lavanya Challagundla

Theses and Dissertations

Discerning the basis of phenotypic and genotypic differences within and between taxa is crucial for understanding the evolution of species, subspecies or varieties and races. In this dissertation, I have presented three studies, which use morphological characters and genetic Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) to differentiate cytotypes, populations and species of the genus Xanthisma. The first study is aimed at clarifying the species status of Haplopappus ravenii, which has been considered to be a separate species by some taxonomists and a race of Xanthisma gracile by other researchers. Considering the morphological species concept and the genotypic cluster definition of a …


Complex Network Growing Model Using Downlink Motifs, Ahmad Al-Musawi Jr. May 2013

Complex Network Growing Model Using Downlink Motifs, Ahmad Al-Musawi Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the underlying architecture of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) has been one of the major goals in systems biology and bioinformatics as it can provide insights in disease dynamics and drug development. Such GRNs are characterized by their scale-free degree distributions and existence of network motifs, which are small subgraphs of specific types and appear more abundantly in GRNs than in other randomized networks. In fact, such motifs are considered to be the building blocks of GRNs (and other complex networks) and they help achieve the underlying robustness demonstrated by most biological networks. The goal of this thesis is to …


An Exploration Of Carbon-Filled Carbon Nanotubes As A Potential Material In Coronary Stents, Kristopher Neil Jones May 2013

An Exploration Of Carbon-Filled Carbon Nanotubes As A Potential Material In Coronary Stents, Kristopher Neil Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to explore the potential of using carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotubes (CI-CNT) as a material for coronary artery stents. Stents are commonly fabricated from metal, which may not perform as well as many polymers and ceramics in biomedical applications. Pyrolytic carbon, a ceramic, is currently used in medical implant devices due to its preferrable biocompatibility properties. Micro-patterned pyrolytic carbon devices can be created by growing carbon nanotubes, and then filling the space between with amorphous carbon via chemical vapor deposition. We prepared multiple samples of two different planar stent-like flexible geometries and smaller cubic structures out …