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Cole Train | V.13, No.2 (Fall 2016), Houston Cole Library

Library Annual Reports & Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Tax Definition Of "Medical Care:" A Critique Of The Startling Irs Arguments In O'Donnabhain V. Commissioner, Katherine Pratt

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

This Article critiques the startling arguments made by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in O’Donnabhain v. Commissioner, a case in which the issue was whether a person diagnosed with gender identity disorder (“GID”) could take a federal tax deduction for the costs of male-to-female medical transition, including hormone treatment, genital surgery, and breast augmentation. Internal Revenue Code § 213 allows a deduction for the costs of “medical care,” which (1) includes costs incurred for “the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for the purpose of affecting any structure or function of the body,” but (2) generally …

Animal Science E-Newsletter, December 2016, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Department Of Animal Sciences

Animal Science e-Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Peaks Island Star : December 2016, Vol. 36, Issue 12, Service Agencies Of The Island

Peaks Island Star, 2016

The Peaks Island Star is the newsletter of the island's service agencies and other community news.

Articles About Drama Events

William Aaron Brandenburg Documents

Three articles about drama events on campus

Appraising Religious Liberty In The Philippine Reproductive Health Debates, Alfonso Suico

Jesuit School of Theology Dissertations

The debates surrounding the reproductive health bills created controversy and division between the Philippine government and the Church leaders. The government proposed laws that would promote accessible health care to women and children, including access to safe and effective contraceptives. The Catholic bishops opposed these bills, which they considered as inconsistent with Church teachings on sexuality and marriage.

Following a modified pastoral circle, this thesis describes the Philippine situation and genealogy of the debates, analyzes the critical position of the bishops, and proposes how the right to religious freedom can provide a paradigm of examining the debates. The bishops' opposition …

A Spatio-Temporal Model Of Hunter-Gatherer Foraging Ecology Across The North American Great Plains Throughout The Paleoindian Period: Development Of Biological Theory And Statistical Methods To Link Human Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, And The Archaeological Record, Erik Roque Otárola-Castillo

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Hunter-gatherers spread to nearly every corner of the planet in large part due to their flexible ability to forage for high-quality foods in diverse environments. The study of human foraging behavior is therefore crucial to understanding the proximate and ultimate factors that have shaped human evolutionary history. Although not necessarily in an evolutionary context, the foraging behavior of Paleoindian hunter-gatherers in North America has been studied for over a century. Researchers have paid particular attention to Paleoindian foragers’ hunting of big game across the grasslands of the Great Plains, shedding light on “what†prey Paleoindians foraged, “where†foraging occurred on …

Novel Adhesion Properties Of Irreversibly Adsorbed Polymer Chains, Zhizhao Chen

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Interpenetrations (or entanglements) between chemically identical polymers are important parameters in fundamental physics and industrial applications. However, little is known about the interaction between free polymer chains and chemically identical, but otherwise highly adsorbed chains on solid surfaces. Here we report an unusual interaction between free chains and chemically identical flattened chains which have many surface-segmental contacts with solids. Based on the mechanical adhesion measurements, we found the 2.5 nm-thick equilibrium polyethylene-oxide (PEO) flattened layer show no adhesion with the PEO melts even at T >Tm. Liquid contact angle measurements further revealed that the flattened layer has the same macroscopic …

Evolution Of Immiscibly Blended Functionalized Polymers With Respect To Cure Parameters And Formulation, Nicholas Walter Heller

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Powder coatings are becoming ubiquitous in the coating marketplace due to the absence of solvents in their formulation, but they have yet to see implementation in low-reflectance outdoor applications. This demand could be met by utilizing polymer blends formulated with low loadings of matting agents and pigments. The goal of this research is a thorough characterization of prototype low-reflectance coatings through several analytical techniques. Prototypical thermoset blends consist of functionalized polyurethanes rendered immiscible by differences in polar and hydrogen bonding characteristics, resulting in a surface roughened by droplet domains. Analysis of both pigmented and control clear films was performed. This …

Light-Induced Self-Assembly And Diffusion Of Nanoclusters, Wenxuan Lian

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Novel methods to build multiple types of three-dimensional structures from various nanoscale components are the most exciting and challenging questions in nano-science. The properties of the assembled structures can be potentially and designed, but the development of such approaches is challenging. In order to realize such rational assembly, a tunable interaction medium is often introduced into the system. Soft matter, such as polymers, surfactants and biomolecules are used to modify the surfaces of the nanoscale building blocks. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strands are known as polynucleotides since they are composed of simpler units called nucleotides. There are unique base pairing rules …

3d Printing Of Metals, Ying Mu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Additive manufacturing (AM), widely known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing method that produces parts from powders layer by layer. Many techniques have been developed to achieve this. In this thesis, the historical development and general principles of additive manufacturing are covered. The techniques for producing metal parts are explored, with a focus on the defects, processing parameters, mechanical properties and the relationships between them and the influences on each other. The various metal AM techniques are compared with the analysis of their strength, limitations and applicable conditions. The applications and mechanical properties of the most studied metal/alloys is another …

An Investigation Into The Effects Of Process Parameters On The Quality Of Laminates, Haomin Liu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In this work curing process for glass fiber reinforced polymer composite laminates is studied. Curing temperature, time and pressure were selected as the cure parameters for optimization. Central composite design (CCD) of design of experiment (DOE) approach was adopted for conducting the experiments. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of the composite laminate were the response measures to select the final cure parameters. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), surface plots and contour plots clearly demonstrate that temperature, time and pressure contribute greatly to the response functions. This establishes two models that can be used to predict the mechanical properties of composite laminated …

Synchrotron X-Ray Topography Analysis Of Dislocation Line Directions In 4h-Sic Single Crystals, Jianing Yan

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This thesis presents a Synchrotron White Beam X-ray Topography study of dislocations in 4H- SiC single crystals. Basic introduction is given including the crystal structure and atomic arrangement, crystal growth techniques, and the dislocation types. The commonly observed dislocations, including Micropipes (MPs), Basal Plane Dislocations (BPDs), Threading Screw Dislocations (TSDs), Threading Edge Dislocations (TEDs), Threading Mixed Dislocations (TMDs), in 4H-SiC single crystals have been reviewed. Since the extensive application of SiC for power devices is limited by the presence of these dislocations, the minimization, and eventually elimination of these dislocations, have been a major impetus in both research and commercial …

Evaluation Of 4h Silicon Carbide And Gallium Nitride Crystals For Power Electronics & Lighting Applications, Xiaolin Yang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Silicon carbide is a promising semiconductor material with more preferable properties than the traditional materials like silicon dioxide and gallium arsenide. With large band-gap, high breakdown voltage, high thermal conductivity and good resistance in radiation environment, SiC is widely used in electronic devices especially under high frequency, high voltage and high temperature. Despite of its good properties, the application of SiC is limited by the growth of high quality single crystal boule, namely, the defects inside the SiC crystals have deleterious effects on the performance of devices made of it. In this thesis, the combination of techniques including Synchrotron White …

Fabrication Of A Novel Biosensor For Macromolecules Detection Through Molecular Imprinting Technique, Yingjie Yu

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

There is an increasing need for precise molecular detection as a diagnostic tool for early identification of diseases, pathogens, and abnormal protein levels in the body. Typical chemical analytical methods are generally costly, unstable, and time-consuming. Molecular imprinting (MI) technique，based on the “lock and key model†, could be a simple method to overcome those shortcomings. In this study, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was employed as a platform to fabricate MI biosensor for detection of macromolecules. I demonstrated that, when the monolayer was formed on a rough surface, this method was in fact templating molecules in three dimensions, and hence …

Transport Studies Of Superconducting Materials, Cheng Zhang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Superconducting materials are promising for future applications on energy transport and storage. The key properties for superconductors are critical temperature Tc, critical current density Jc and upper critical field Hc2. In this dissertation, detailed transport studies were performed on two superconducting materials: FeSe0.5Te0.5 thin films and the second generation YBa2Cu3O7-δ coated conductors, in order to determine what limits the broad applications of these superconductors. High quality of FeSe0.5Te0.5 thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition. Low temperature oxygen annealing and proton irradiation were conducted on the films, as the post-treatment techniques in order to improve the transport performance. Jc …

The Frame Retardant, Mechanical Properties, Thermal Properties And Permeability Of Biodegradable Polymers, Xianghao Zuo

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Nano-particles are great additives to the thermal properties of the polymers, however, they sometimes have some disadvantages on the mechanical properties. The mixing of polymers and nano-particles such as cloisite clays, graphene, melamine polyphosphate and molybdenum disulfide, are mostly physical reactions between them. Therefore, the dispersion of the nano-particles inside the polymers is very important. As for the frame retardant of the polymers, the additives are used as three most important components during the mixing, i.e. the acid source, the carbonization agent (or char forming agent), and a blowing agent. The better the particles disperse in the polymer, the easier …

Novel Processing Of Ceramics With Polymorphic Control, Gagan Jodhani

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Polymorphism is an important phenomenon exhibited by many materials, including ceramic oxides. The availability of multiple structural configurations for the same chemical composition opens the pathway to a large number of phases with distinct properties. The formation of the crystal structures can be directly correlated to the processing temperature and/or pressure as well as the particle size for nanomaterials. This work focuses on the tailored synthesis of the desired polymorphs of binary and ternary metal oxides through nanoscale processes with emphasis on flame spray pyrolysis. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) is a scalable nano-manufacturing process used for the synthesis of oxide …

Effects Of Chemically-Modified-Curcumin (Cmc2.24) On Rat Experimental Periodontitis, Howard Hao Wang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases, and causes severe debilitation due to the loss of teeth. There are two main strategies utilized in the treatment of periodontal disease: (1) local mechanical therapy, such as scaling and root planing and/or periodontal surgery, as well as local adjunctive antimicrobial (Atridox, Arestin, and Periochip) therapy, and (2) addition of an adjunctive therapy such as host-modulation therapy (HMT). Regarding the latter, there is currently only one systemically administered FDA-approved medication for the treatment of chronic periodontitis, Periostat®, a non-antimicrobial doxycycline-based MMP-inhibitor, which was developed decades ago. The current study …

The Specter Of Spinoza: The Legacy Of The Pantheism Controversy In Hegel’S Thought | The Specter Of Spinoza: The Legacy Of The Pantheism Controversy In Hegel’S Thought, Harrison Andrew Fluss

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation seeks to trace Hegel’s shifting attitudes towards Spinoza, and its significance for later interpretations of the Hegel-Spinoza relationship. In contrast to virtually all other approaches, it will be argued that Hegel’s earlier defense of Spinoza in Faith and Knowledge (1802) was superior to Hegel’s interpretation of Spinoza shaped after his break with Schelling. There is precious little in the Anglophone literature that compares and contrasts the approaches of the young and “mature†Hegel regarding Spinoza’s metaphysics. In most discussions, the young Hegel’s views on Spinoza are mentioned, but only perfunctorily, and not granted a sustained analysis. This hurts …

Once Again From The Beginning: On The Relationship Of Skepticism And Philosophy In Hegel's System, Miles Martin Hentrup

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation examines the relationship of skepticism and philosophy in the work of G.W.F. Hegel. Whereas other commentators have come to recognize the epistemological significance of Hegel's encounter with skepticism, emphasizing the strength of his system against skeptical challenges to the possibility of knowledge, I argue that Hegel develops his metaphysics in part through his ongoing engagement with the skeptical tradition. As such, I argue that Hegel's interest is not in refuting skepticism, but in defining its legitimate role within the project of philosophical science. Hegel finds that historical forms of skepticism have misunderstood their own activity and thus have …

Understanding The Dielectric Properties Of Water, Daniel C. Elton

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Liquid water is a complex material with many anomalous properties. Three of these anomalies are an abnormally high dielectric constant, an abnormally high boiling point, and a solid phase which is less dense than the liquid phase. Each of these anomalies is known to have been critically important in the development of life on Earth. All of water's special properties can be linked to water's unique ability to form hydrogen bonds. Water's hydrogen bonds form a transient network. Understanding the average structure of this network and how it changes through the phase diagram remains the focus of intense research. In …

Topics In Statistical Physics: Protein Stability, Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics, And, Michael John Hazoglou

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This dissertation will cover three distinct topics of protein stability, non-equilibrium thermodynamics and scientometrics. In senescent organisms aging is correlated with oxidative damage of proteins. The damage done to proteins destabilizes them inhibiting their function. The implications of a simplified model based on side-chain modification of charged residues using Debye-H\"{u}ckel theory will be presented. Short length and highly charged proteins are susceptible to destabilization from oxidative damage. Among these proteins already studied in aging several proteins fit this description of being short and highly charged. There is a noticeable enrichment of short-highly-charged proteins in categories of proteins known to be …

Some Applications Of Superspace, Chia-Yi Ju

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Supersymmetry is a very popular topic in recent high energy physics theories. Especially, in order to make sense of string theory, we have to impose supersymmetry. Superspace method is proven to be a very useful approach to supersymmetric theories by treating supersymme- try as part of the geometry. In this dissertation, we use superspace method to investigate superconformal field theory and string/brane theory. The first part of the dissertation, we rewrite semi-shortening con- ditions using superspace approach. The rewritten expression is co- variant under superconformal transformation. We found that all the known semi-shortening condition are part of the covariantized ones …

Anomalous Transport In Chiral Systems, Gustavo Machado Monteiro

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The experimental realization of Dirac and Weyl semimetals in 2014 and 2015 respectively has increased the interest in the topic. Similarly to graphene, the discovered materials are characterized by massless quasiparticles. In three dimensions these quasiparticles can be described by the Weyl Hamiltonian which exhibits so-called chiral anomaly at low energies. The chiral anomaly has a transport signature, namely, the enhancement of longitudinal conductivity along the direction of external magnetic field. This effect in new materials is the condensed matter version of the chiral magnetic effect (CME) predicted to happen in heavy ion collisions. Due to its topological nature the …

New Designs And Characterization Techniques For Thin-Film Solar Cells, Yutong Pang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

This thesis presents a fundamentally new thin-film photovoltaic design and develops several novel characterization techniques that improve the accuracy of thin-film solar cell computational models by improving the accuracy of the input data. We first demonstrate a novel organic photovoltaic (OPV) design, termed a ``Slot OPV", in which the active layer is less than 50 nm; We apply the principles of slot waveguides to confine light within the active layer. According to our calculation, the guided-mode absorption for a 10nm thick active layer equal to the absorption of normal incidence on an OPV with a 100nm thick active layer. These …

Funneling Electron Beams From Gallium Arsenide Photocathodes, Omer Habib Rahman

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) is the most widely used source of polarized electrons around the world. Electrons are extracted from a GaAs surface, terminated by a cesium-oxygen layer. The electrons are accelerated to form a beam by a DC electric field. This beam can ionize residual gas in the chamber, and the DC field accelerates the resulting ions into the cathode surface, damaging the Cesium- Oxygen layer. This process, called Ion Back Bombardment, is the dominant mechanism for limiting photocathode lifetime. As a result, high average current operation yields charge lifetimes too low to be used in a collider design. One …

Studies Of Entanglement Entropy, And Relativistic Fluids For Thermal Field Theories, Michael Spillane

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In this dissertation we consider physical consequences of adding a finite temperature to quantum field theories. At small length scales entanglement is a critically important feature. It is therefore unsurprising that entanglement entropy and Renyi entropy are useful tools in studying quantum phase transition, and quantum information. In this thesis we consider the corrections to entanglement and Renyi entropies due to addition of a finite temperature. n this dissertation we consider physical consequences of adding a finite temperature to quantum field theories. At small length scales entanglement is a critically important feature. It is therefore unsurprising that entanglement entropy and …

The Study Of Nonequilibrium Dissipative Quantum Dynamics And Its Applications To Energy Transport And Quantum Information Processes, Zhedong Zhang

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

Nonequilibrium quantum physics is of fundamental importance and interest. It is still an extremely hard issue even in today's theoretical physics because of the lack of the knowledge on the basic theories, like the nonequilibrium quantum statistical mechanics. The recent advances on theory and experiments reveal the essentiality of nonequilibrium quantum dynamics on explaining as well as understanding many interesting phenomenon, i.e. | the ultrafast energy transfer \& long-survived quantum coherence in organic molecules, quantum phase transition and the novel transport properties of superfluid gas at low temperature. Here we will focus on the nonequilibrium quantum dynamics relaxing towards the …

"The Cradle Of Things": Origins And Ontogenesis In The Late Landscapes Of Gustave Courbet, Nicole Georgopulos

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

In the spring of 1864, Gustave Courbet returned to his home region of Franche-Comté and painted a series of landscapes that took as their subjects various natural points of origin: grottoes, caves, waterfalls, etc. Through his loose and expressive facture, Courbet renders visible in these landscapes the ongoing becoming of the world, investigating the nature of origination and evolution. Courbet’s interest in such subjects comes just two years after the publication of the French translation of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, which irreversibly unsettled the traditional understanding of humankind’s position within the world. The early years of evolutionary …