Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Effect Of Vitamin Supplementation On Biodegradation Of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons And Diesel Fuel, Susmita Guptapal

Dissertations

Bioremediation of hazardous wastes is proven to be environmentally benign and most cost effective technology when proper conditions are provided. However, commercialization of this method still requires comprehensive research to enhance the degradation rate to make the technology more acceptable for implementation. In this research a unique approach to increase the rate of biodegradation by vitamins supplementation was studied.

Five vitamins, niacin, biotin, folic acid, thiamin and pantothenic acid were selected for the present study. Different short chain (C₈ and C₉), and long chain (C₁₆ and C₁₇) aliphatic hydrocarbons and diesel fuel (a mixture …

Random Cayley Maps, Michelle Schultz

Dissertations

Determining the orientable surfaces on which a given graph can be imbedded is the central problem of topological graph theory. The natural setting for studying this problem is random topological graph theory, where a probability model is defined on the space of all labeled 2-cell imbeddings of a connected graph. The major focus of this dissertation is the study of Cayley maps in the setting of random topological graph theory.

A Cayley graph provides a representation of a finite group and a fixed generating set for the group. A Cayley map is an imbedding of a Cayley graph whose vertex …

A Graph Theoretic Study Of The Similarity Of Discrete Structures, Heather D. Gavlas

Dissertations

A basic problem in drug design consists of finding a compound that satisfies a spectrum of biological and chemical properties. Although drug design problems are central to pharmaceutical research, statisticians have yet to become involved in this area as these problems are viewed statistically as optimization problems. Before statistical optimization procedures can be defined on these spaces whose points are structures and not vectors, very basic mathematical notions of distance must be defined. Graphs have been used as mathematical models to represent the bonding arrangements of molecules for quite some time. In fact, if some of the methodology used by …

Ionization And Charge Changing In 0.5 - 8 Qmev Li^Q+ + He (Q=1,2,3) Collisions And Setup Of An Electron Spectrometer Control System, Oliver Woitke

Dissertations

Projectile charge changing and target ionization cross sections are measured for 0.5 to 8 qMeV Li^q+ + He (q=1,2,3) collisions. Total cross sections for single-electron capture (for L i^1,2,3+) and single-electron loss (for L i^1,2+) are obtained and compared to existing experimental and theoretical data. Also, single and double target ionization of He associated with specific outgoing projectile charge states are identified using coincidence techniques. Cross sections for target ionization associated with no projectile charge change (direct ionization), single-electron capture, and single-electron loss are measured and compared to existing experimental data and to available calculations. Double-to-single target ionization ratios R …

Towards Designing A Knowledge-Based Tutoring System : Sql-Tutor As An Example, Gang Zhou

Dissertations

A Knowledge-Based Tutoring System, also sometimes called an Intelligent Tutoring System, is a computer based instructional system that uses artificial intelligence techniques to help people learn some subject. The goal of the system is to provide private tutoring to its students based on their different backgrounds, requests, and interests. The system knows what subject materials it should teach, when and how to teach them, and can diagnose the mistakes made by the students and help them correct the mistakes.

The major objective of this dissertation is to investigate and develop a generic framework upon which we can build a Knowledge-Based …

Pattern Discovery In Sequence Databases : Algorithms And Applications To Dna/Protein Classification, Gung-Wei Chirn

Dissertations

Sequence databases comprise sequence data, which are linear structural descriptions of many natural entities. Approximate pattern discovery in a sequence database can lead to important conclusions or prediction of new phenomena. Traditional database technology is not suitable for accomplishing the task, and new techniques need to be developed.

In this dissertation, we propose several new techniques for discovering patterns in sequence databases. Our techniques incorporate pattern matching algorithms and novel heuristics for discovery and optimization. Experimental results of applying the techniques to both generated data and DNA/proteins show the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

We then develop several classifiers using …

Knowledge Discovering For Document Classification Using Tree Matching In Texpros, Ching-Song Wei

Dissertations

This dissertation describes a knowledge-based system for classifying documents based upon the layout structure and conceptual information extracted from the content of the document. The spatial elements in a document are laid out in rectangular blocks which are represented by nodes in an ordered labelled tree, called the "layout structure tree" (L-S Tree). Each leaf node of a L-S Tree points to its corresponding block content. A knowledge Acquisition Tool (KAT) is devised to create a Document Sample Tree from L-S Tree, in which each of its leaves contains a node content conceptually describing its corresponding block content. Then, applying …

Integrating Hypertext With Information Systems Through Dynamic Mapping, Jiangling Wan

Dissertations

This dissertation presents a general hypertext model (GHMI) supporting integration of hypertext and information systems through dynamic mapping. Information systems integrated based on this model benefit from hypertext function-alities (such as linking, backtracking, history, guided tours, annotations, etc.) while preserving their own computation capabilities. Although systems supporting integration of hypertext and interface-oriented information systems do exist in hypertext literature, there is no existing model or system effectively supporting integration of hypertext and computation-oriented information systems. GHMI makes its major contributions by both extending and specifying the well-known Dexter Hypertext Reference Model. GHMI extends the Dexter model to overcome its limitations. …

Theory And Design Of Portable Parallel Programs For Heterogeneous Computing Systems And Networks, Ying-Chieh Wu

Dissertations

A recurring problem with high-performance computing is that advanced architectures generally achieve only a small fraction of their peak performance on many portions of real applications sets. The Amdahl's law corollary of this is that such architectures often spend most of their time on tasks (codes/algorithms and the data sets upon which they operate) for which they are unsuited. Heterogeneous Computing (HC) is needed in the mid 90's and beyond due to ever increasing super-speed requirements and the number of projects with these requirements. HC is defined as a special form of parallel and distributed computing that performs computations using …

Continuous Monitoring Of Volatile Organic Compounds Using Microtrap Based Gas Chromatographic Systems, Yonghua Xu

Dissertations

Continuous analysis allows a representative portion of a sample to flow continuously through an analytical instrument, which gives analytical information with little or no delay in time. A microtrap is a small diameter tube packed with adsorbents in series. When a gaseous sample containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) flows through the microtrap, the VOCs can be trapped selectively by adsorbents. Then a pulse of electrical current is applied to the microtrap. This rapid heating results in a desorption that can act as a sharp injection for GC separation. Thus the microtrapped sample is the total amount of VOC present in …

Ground Water Movement Through The Highly-Fractured Crystalline Core Of A Large-Scale, Foreland Uplift, Roy Al Gorge Arch, South-Central Colorado, Timothy L. Clarey

Dissertations

The objectives of this study were twofold: ( 1) to examine the well-exposed, basement core of the Royal Gorge arch as a large-scale, field test of ground water flow through a fractured, crystalline, aquifer system; and (2) to devise a method to more accurately determine the direction of maximum aperture of a fractured aquifer through structural and hydrogeologic analysis.

The recognition of a preferred direction of maximum aperture in a fractured aquifer remains an important hydrogeologic consideration because flow through a fracture is proportional to the cube of the aperture width. Previous studies of hydraulic directions using fracture orientation techniques …

Identifying And Exploiting Concurrency In Object-Based Real-Time Systems, Guohui Yu

Dissertations

The use of object-based mechanisms, i.e., abstract data types (ADTs), for constructing software systems can help to decrease development costs, increase understandability and increase maintainability. However, execution efficiency may be sacrificed due to the large number of procedure calls, and due to contention for shared ADTs in concurrent systems. Such inefficiencies are a concern in real-time applications that have stringent timing requirements. To address these issues, the potentially inefficient procedure calls are turned into a source of concurrency via asynchronous procedure calls (ARPCs), and contention for shared ADTS is reduced via ADT cloning. A framework for concurrency analysis in object-based …

Photophysics And Photochemistry Of Carbocations, Maria R. Valentino

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Development, Molecular Characterization And Application Of A Model Stratum Corneum Lipid System, Rita M. Hatfield

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Molecular Studies Of Human Erythrocyte Spectrin: Head To-Head Interactions, Nasser Qtaishat

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Unique Photothermal Interferometer, Michael Henry

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Synthesis Of Azure B Derivatives: Potential Pro-Drugs For Photodynamic Therapy, Carla M. Edwards

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Na+-H+ Exchange And Na+-Li+ Exchange In Human Erythrocytes: An Nmr Investigation, Yuling Chi

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Separation Of Aqueous Iron Species Found In Stepwise Complexation By Capillary Electrophoresis With Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Detection, Robert E. Sutton

Dissertations

A capillary zone electrophoresis system was interfaced to an atomic absorption spectrom eter to permit the separation and detection o f various species of iron found in step wise complexation in aqueous solutions. The samples were introduced at the anodic end of the column employing the electroosmotic flow to drive all the species to the detector at the cathodic end. Aqueous solutions of iron(II) and iron (III) chloride salts were among the compounds studied. The buffer employed w as a 20 millimolar (2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid adjusted to a pH of 6 with 6 .6 millimolar potassium hydroxide. The detection limit was …

Recombination In Kr^34+ + H2 And 0^6+ + He Collisions, Konstantinos Zaharakis

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Automatic Visual Recognition Using Parallel Machines, Yui-Liang Chen

Dissertations

Invariant features and quick matching algorithms are two major concerns in the area of automatic visual recognition. The former reduces the size of an established model database, and the latter shortens the computation time. This dissertation, will discussed both line invariants under perspective projection and parallel implementation of a dynamic programming technique for shape recognition. The feasibility of using parallel machines can be demonstrated through the dramatically reduced time complexity.

In this dissertation, our algorithms are implemented on the AP1000 MIMD parallel machines. For processing an object with a features, the time complexity of the proposed parallel algorithm is O(n) …

Automatic Office Document Classification And Information Extraction, Xiaolong Hao

Dissertations

TEXPR.OS (TEXt PROcessing System) is a document processing system (DPS) to support and assist office workers in their daily work in dealing with information and document management. In this thesis, document classification and information extraction, which are two of the major functional capabilities in TEXPROS, are investigated.

Based on the nature of its content, a document is divided into structured and unstructured (i.e., of free text) parts. The conceptual and content structures are introduced to capture the semantics of the structured and unstructured part of the document respectively. The document is classified and information is extracted based on the analyses …

The Effect Of Sulfur And Phosphorus Compounds On Supported Platinum Catalyst Activity, Yi Wang

Dissertations

The effect of sulfur poisoning on the activity of catalysts containing 1.5% platinum supported on γ-Al₂O₃, TiO₂, ZrO₂, or SiO₂ was investigated in this study. These four catalysts were aged with 100 ppmv H₂S in air at 400°C for 24 hours to determine the effect of sulfur poisoning under oxidizing conditions. In separate experiments, 1.5% Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was aged in nitrogen containing 100 ppmv H₂S to obtain a frame of reference for non-oxidizing conditions.

The oxidation of 1% CO, 1% methane, and 1% propane …

The Use Of Analogies In An Industrial Environment To Facilitate Status Changes For Radiation Science Concepts, Charles Thomas Lohrke

Dissertations

The focus of this study was the effect of two analogies on the status of industrial technical center employees for three radiation science concept areas. The analogies used were of melting ice and falling tacks. The three radiation concept areas examined were radioactive material decay, radioactive material half-life, and radioactive material activity.

Forty-four adults participated in the study. Thirty-five of these participants took pre- and post-lesson multiple-choice tests to determine the effect that the analogies had on their intelligibility of the three radiation science concept areas. Nine participants also took pre- and post-lesson clinical interviews to assess their intelligibility, plausibility, …

College Physics Students' Conceptual Understanding Of Area And Volume, And Relationships Between These Concepts And Students' Understanding Of Physics Concepts, Jiang Yu

Dissertations

Concepts such as area and volume are foundational ideas for many concepts introduced in introductory science courses. At the college level, most instructors typically assume that incoming students have already developed an understanding of these underpinning ideas. However, doubt has surfaced in recent years about students' depth of understanding and mastery of these fundamental concepts. Because deficiencies in understanding basic concepts may relate to the learning of subsequent concepts, instructors have expressed concerns about students' understanding of fundamental ideas and if the failure to understand these ideas hinders students' subsequent progress.

This study was designed to (a) investigate the nature …

A Wellhead Protection Study Of A Small Agricultural Community In Glaciated Terrain, As A Model For Wellhead Protection Efforts By Similar Communities, Cole Kevan Lovett

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create a wellhead protection approach for a small town in a rural watershed that could be used by other, similar, communities.

Lacustrine clay and melt-out till interbedded in outwash sands and fine gravel, separate an unconfined aquifer from a deeper aquifer. The lower aquifer was determined to be semiconfined due to (a) high vertical conductivity, (b) lack of continuity in the clay/till, (c) absence of significant seasonal water level changes, and (d) tritium levels above 1-2 tritium units in deep wells.

Tritium level falls and water age rises along flowpaths. A low-high-low pattern …

Probability Polynomials For Cubic Graphs In The Framework Of Random Topological Graph Theory, Esther Joy Tesar

Dissertations

Topological graph theorists study the imbeddings of graphs on surfaces (spheres with handles). Some interesting questions in the field are on w hat surfaces can a graph be 2 -cell imbedded and how m any such imbeddings are there on each surface. The study of these and related questions is called Enumerative Topological Graph Theory. Random Topological Graph Theory uses probability models to study the 2-cell imbeddings. It generalizes the results from Enumerative Topological Graph Theory (which is the uniform case, p= 1/2) to an arbitrary probability p.

We study the model where the sample space consists of all labeled, …

Efficient Dominating Sets In Oriented Trees, Quan Yue

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Step Domination In Graphs, Kelly Lynne Schultz

Dissertations

One of the major areas in Graph Theory is domination in graphs. It is this area with which this dissertation deals, with the primary emphasis on step domination in graphs.

In Chapter 1 we present some preliminary definitions and examples. In addition, a background of the area of domination is presented. We then introduce the concepts that lead to step domination.

In Chapter II we formally define the concept of step domination and give several examples. We determine the minimum number of vertices needed in a step domination set for many classes of graphs. We then explore step domination for …

Asymptotic Diagonalizations Of A Linear Ordinary Differential System, Feipeng Xie

Dissertations

No abstract provided.