Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Heterogeneous Anisotropy Index And Scaling In Multiphase Random Polycrystals, Muhammad Ridwan Murshed

Theses and Dissertations

Under consideration is the finite-size scaling of elastic properties in single and two-phase random polycrystals with individual grains belonging to any crystal class (from cubic to triclinic). These polycrystals are generated by Voronoi tessellations with varying grain sizes and volume fractions. By employing variational principles in elasticity, we introduce the notion of a 'Heterogeneous Anisotropy Index' and investigate its role in the scaling of elastic properties at finite mesoscales. The index turns out to be a function of 43 variables, 21 independent components for each phase and the volume fraction of either phase. Furthermore, the relationship between Heterogeneous Anisotropy Index …

Substituted Hydroxylamines As Nitrogen Transfer Reagents: Direct Synthetic Pathways To Structurally Rich Heteroatomic Scaffolds, Dylan John Quinn

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen is found in virtually all valuable chemical compounds. The abundance of atmospheric nitrogen however, is rendered inaccessible because of the strong N-N triple bond, ultimately preventing its practical utilization in synthetic organic synthesis. The development of powerful nitrogen transfer reagents, such as substituted hydroxylamine derivatives, have played an important role in the introduction of nitrogen into valuable chemical scaffolding.

Herein is reported the methodological development of synthetic nitrogen placement into a range of valuable heteroatomic compounds. This work shows that O-Substituted Hydroxylamine can be used to furnish small heteroatomic compounds, particularly nitriles. Whereas, N-Substituted Hydroxylamine can be employed to …

Development Of Novel Alkaloid Derivatives For The Treatment Of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Lindsay Michelle Renn

Theses and Dissertations

The majority of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients can be treated with and respond to imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). Imatinib is known to inhibit BCR-ABLl kinase activity, and is effective for the treatment of the majority of CML patients. Multiple mutations have been found in patients resistant to imatinib treatment, including many located in the BCR-ABLl tyrosine kinase domain (e.g. E255K and T315I). Matrine is a bioactive alkaloid from Sophora flavescens and has been shown to inhibit several types of cancers and is used in Chinese medicine. The goal of this study is to develop new matrine derivatives that inhibit growth …

Development Of Novel Therapeutic Approaches: (I) Targeting Allergic Responses To Peanuts And (Ii) Inhibition Of Dpp-Iv Enzyme Involved In Diabetes, Savan V. Patel

Theses and Dissertations

There is an increase in prevalence of peanut allergy, especially in the western world. The only current treatment for peanut allergy is avoidance of peanut from diet and contact. Additionally, there is currently no specific vaccine that can be taken to decrease peanut allergies. The method of desensitizing a person allergic to peanut allergy is deemed unsafe as the smallest amount of peanut can trigger an anaphylaxis reaction. Thus, various allergoids were created by modifying major peanut protein allergen Ara h2 using various cross-linkers and modification agents in order to disrupt the binding surface epitopes of the antigen to antibody. …

Synthesis And Identification Of An Investigational Essential Precursor Compound For The Purpose Of The Development Of A Vaccine Treatment Against The Peanut Allergy, Thomas F. Anguella

Theses and Dissertations

Presented in this master's thesis are several studies carried out to determine the viability of several allergoid candidates utilizing the major peanut allergen Ara h 2. The Ara h 2 allergen protein appears naturally as a doublet when observed by gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE. Optimization of allergen purification methods successfully led to Ara h 2 purity, and the ability to standardize procedures to yield consistently pure samples. The purified allergen was chemically crosslinked with diketone derivatives selected for their abilities to react with specific amino acids accessible on the Ara h 2 protein. Chemically modified allergen samples were also evaluated using …

Data Analysis And Processing Techniques For Remaining Useful Life Estimations, John Scott Bucknam

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of engineering, it is important to understand different engineering systems and components, not only in how they currently perform, but also how their performance degrades over time. This extends to the field of prognostics, which attempts to predict the future of a system or component based on its past and present states. A common problem in this field is the estimation of remaining useful life, or how long a system or component functionality will last. The well-known datasets for this problem are the PHM and C-MAPSS datasets. These datasets contain simulated sensor data for different turbofan engines …

Cytotoxic And Antimicrobial Effects Of Silver-Containing Surfaces, Sarah Goderecci

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines applications of sputtered silver coatings as alternatives to traditional antibiotic treatments. Given the increase in reports of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, new treatments and coatings for in-dwelling medical devices such as catheters and orthopedic implants are necessary. Silver oxide films were deposited onto Ti surfaces to examine the efficacy of such coatings against a variety of bacterial species both in vitro and in vivo. Bacterial growth studies showed that coatings exhibited antimicrobial activity against a range of bacterial species acting either in a bacteriostatic or bactericidal mechanism, depending on the target. Limited toxicity to in vitro mammalian cells was …

Exploring Algorithms To Recognize Similar Board States In Arimaa, Malik Khaleeque Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The game of Arimaa was invented as a challenge to the field of game-playing artificial intelligence, which had grown somewhat haughty after IBM's supercomputer Deep Blue trounced world champion Kasparov at chess. Although Arimaa is simple enough for a child to learn and can be played with an ordinary chess set, existing game-playing algorithms and techniques have had a difficult time rising up to the challenge of defeating the world's best human Arimaa players, mainly due to the game's impressive branching factor. This thesis introduces and analyzes new algorithms and techniques that attempt to recognize similar board states based on …