Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Mass Spectrometric Studies On The Primary Products Of Fast Pyrolysis Of Carbohydrates And The Molecular Structures Of Asphaltenes, And The Development Of A Rastering Probe For Laser-Induced Acoustic Desorption Into An Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Source, Matthew Robert Hurt

Open Access Dissertations

Mass spectrometry (MS) has proven invaluable in the field of mixture analysis and structural elucidation. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) utilizing collision-activated dissociation (CAD) has become the technique of choice for structural elucidation of unknown analytes in mixtures. When coupled with gas chromatography (GC) or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), it allows for trace level analysis of mixture components. In spite of the utility of mass spectrometry in complex mixture analysis, it does have limitations. Traditional GC/MS methods used for the analysis of fast pyrolysis products cannot be used to analyze the primary products, thus limiting the knowledge that can be …

Development Of A Field-Portable Miniature Mass Spectrometer Designed For In-Situ Analysis And Ion Trap Miniaturization, Paul Isaac Hendricks

Open Access Dissertations

Chemical analysis by mass spectrometry has become the gold standard due to the sensitivity, selectivity, and short analysis times that are afforded by the method. Advances in miniaturized vacuum systems, mass analyzers, electronics, and ionization sources have allowed for the development of field-portable mass spectrometers. The performance of portable instruments has received much attention for their utility in the detection of illicit drugs, explosives, environmental contaminants, therapeutic drugs, and more recently, biological tissues. Furthermore, detection of the aforementioned compounds can be completed at atmospheric pressures and in the presence of complex matrices and sample surfaces when used in conjunction with …

Fluorous- Phase Synthesis Of Heparan Sulfate Disaccharides & Low-Molecular Weight Additives For Enhancing The Performance Of Lithium-Ion Batteries., Matthew Daniel Casselman

Open Access Dissertations

Heparan sulfate is a complex cell-surface proteoglycan that serves many important roles in biology, such as growth and development, immune response and pathogenesis. Heparan sulfate is structurally heterogeneous due to the variable post- glycosylation modifications, particularly the generation of diverse sets of sulfate esters (sulfoforms) for any given disaccharide unit. In order to establish useful relationships between heparan sulfate structure and biological activity, a set of well-defined sulfoforms is necessary to support binding affinity screening. In this thesis, we describe the generation of diverse sulfoforms from heparan disaccharides using a fluorous tag to facilitate purification of highly charged intermediates, and …

Applicability Of Continuum Fracture Mechanics In Atomistic Systems, Shao-Huan Cheng

Open Access Dissertations

By quantitating the amplitude of the unbounded stress, the continuum fracture mechanics defines the stress intensity factor K to characterize the stress and displacement fields in the vicinity of the crack tip, thereby developing the relation between the stress singularity and surface energy (energy release rate G). This G-K relation, assigning physical meaning to the stress intensity factor, makes these two fracture parameters widely used in predicting the onset of crack propagation. However, due to the discrete nature of the atomistic structures without stress singularity, there might be discrepancy between the failure prediction and the reality of nanostructured materials. Defining …

Osmium Catalyzed Dihydroxylation And Oxidative Cleavage Of Vinyl Sulfone And Elucidation Of The Vinylsulfone Polypropionate Methodology For The Synthesis Of The C32 Des-Methyl C28-C34 Actin Binding Tail Of Aplyronine A, Thomas Paul Bobinski

Open Access Dissertations

A general methodology for the generation of dipropionate functionalities using cyclic 7-membered vinylsulfones has been devised for the purpose of synthesizing polyketide natural products such as aplyronine A. Final oxidative cleavage via ozonolysis has been shown to be difficult providing variable yields. Furthermore, elegant synthesis of the C28-C34 segment of the aplyronine A actin binding tail has proved elusive. Utilization of OsO4 and catalytic citric acid has led to a methodology whereby harsh ozonolysis procedures can be mostly avoided. A reengineering of the vinylsulfone polypropionate methodology in conjunction with osmylation has been found to provide the actin binding tail under …

Measurement Of [Special Characters Omitted] (Pp[Special Characters Omitted]Tt) In The[Special Characters Omitted]+ Jets Channel Using 4.7 Fb-1 Of Data From The Atlas Experiment Of The Large Hadron Collider, Anirvan Sircar

Doctoral Dissertations

The top quark is the heaviest of the known elementary particles in the Standard Model. Top quark decay can result into various final states; therefore, careful study of its production rate and other properties is very important for particle physics. With the shutdown of the Tevatron, The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the only facility currently capable of studying top quark properties. The data obtained by proton-proton collisions in the LHC is recorded by two general purpose detectors, ATLAS and CMS. The results in the dissertation are from the ATLAS detector. A new measurement is reported of &sgr;(pp [special …

Modeling And Control Of Nanoparticle Bloodstream Concentration For Cancer Therapies, Scarlett S. Bracey

Doctoral Dissertations

Currently, the most commonly used treatments for cancerous tumors (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.) have almost no method of monitoring the administration of the treatment for adverse effects in real time. Without any real time feedback or control, treatment becomes a "guess and check" method with no way of predicting the effects of the drugs based on the actual bioavailability to the patient's body. One particular drug may be effective for one patient, yet provide no benefit to another. Doctors and scientists do not routinely attempt to quantifiably explain this discrepancy. In this work, mathematical modeling and analysis techniques are joined together …

Examine Participant Dropout, Undiagnosed Diabetes And Undiagnosed Prediabetes In A Chronic Disease Prevention Education Program, Yiwen Cao

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

There were 2768 participants enrolled in a chronic disease prevention education program. Survey and health measurements were obtained at three time points. We examine potential factors that might contribute to participant dropout, undiagnosed diabetes and undiagnosed prediabetes respectively. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between participant dropout and predictors, and to compare the odds of being undiagnosed with diabetes and prediabetes. We found that the potential predictors for participant dropout included age, employment, insurance, diabetes, self-reported health status, session type, program duration and curriculum. Factors affecting undiagnosed diabetes and prediabetes were age, self-reported health status birth country, limited …

Structural Properties Of Ferroelectric Lead (Zirconium0.5,Titanium0.5)Oxygen3 Nanotube Array And Electronic Structure Of Lao Delta-Doped Strontium Titanate, Rajendra Prasad Adhikari

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this Dissertation we begin with two introductions on: 1) ferroelectricity and related phenomena, and 2) novel properties of Oxide electronics and the generation of two dimensional electron gas. We then give theoretical background of density functional theory (including LDA+U) and pseudopotentials. The first part of research work is about structural, polarization, and dielectric properties of ferroelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) solid solution in the form of a nanotube array, embedded in a matrix medium of different ferroelectric strengths. We use the effective Hamiltonian derived from first-principles and finite-temperature Monte Carlo methods to determine the various properties. We revealed different …

Design And Evaluation Of A Fiber Optic Probe As A Means Of Subsurface Planetary Exploration, Robert Paul Pilgrim

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Optical Probe for Regolith Analysis (OPRA) is an instrumentation concept designed to provide spectroscopic analysis of the near subsurface of unconsolidated regolith on bodies such as moons, asteroids and planets. Below a chemically altered surface may lay the geological history in the form of stratigraphy that is shielded from degradation due to harsh external environments. Most of what we know about our solar system comes from remote platforms, such as satellites that are deployed into orbit around the target body. In the case of Mars, we have had several successful landers and rovers however, with the exception of the …

The Word Problem For The Automorphism Groups Of Right-Angled Artin Groups Is In P, Carrie Anne Whittle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We provide an algorithm which takes any given automorphism f of any given right-angled Artin group G and determines whether or not f is the identity automorphism, thereby solving the word problem for the automorphism groups of right-angled Artin groups. We do this by solving the compressed word problem for right-angled Artin groups, a more general result. A key piece of this solution is the use of Plandowski's algorithm. We also demonstrate that our algorithm runs in polynomial time in the size of the given automorphism, written as a word in Laurence's generators of the automorphism group of the given …

Fabrication Of Tungsten Tips Suitable For Scanning Probe Microscopy By Electrochemical Etching Methods, Gobind Basnet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The fabrication of metal tips is becoming an interesting field for scientists who are working in spectroscopy measurements. A significant amount of work has already been done in the tips fabrication process. Metal tips used to analyze the surface of materials play a key role in the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) technique. It's remarkable quality that it is used to study the surface of material at the atomic level.

There are various methods used in the tips fabrication process. Of diverse methods, three different electrochemical etching methods: submerged method, single lamella drop-off method, and double lamella drop-off method are commonly …

Modeling Chemical Reactions In Aqueous Solutions, Osman Uner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The energy barriers for SN2 ligand exchange reactions between the chloride anion and para-substituted benzyl chlorides were investigated both in water solution and in the gas phase by using quantum chemical simulations at the DFT and Hartree-Fock levels. The question addressed was the effect of the solvent (water) and of the substituent on the barrier height. The para substitutient groups included NH2, OH, OCH3, CH3, C(CH3)3, H, F, Cl, Br, I, CF3, CN, NO2, and SO3- . The calculations in aqueous solution were carried out with the recently developed Ultrafast Monte Carlo method using the TIP3P explicit water model. The …

Synthesis Of Platinum And Platinum-Copper Branched Nanoparticles For Electrooxidation Of Methanol, Eric Courtland Taylor

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Platinum and Pt alloys are among the most important heterogeneous catalysts for many organic reactions and electrochemical reactions associated with the fuel cell technologies. How to reduce Pt usage while maintaining the performance of the catalysts becomes a subject for intensive research in materials chemistry. For heterogeneous catalysis, the catalytic reactivity and selectivity are strongly correlated with different crystallographic facets exposed on the surface. The facets with high-index planes whose Miller indices with at one is larger than unity are generally more active than those with low-index planes (e.g., {100}, {111}, and {110}). Tuning the morphology of the nanoparticles to …

Multiscale Study Of Batio3 Nanostructures And Nanocomposites, Lydie Louis Louis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advancements in integrated nanoelectronics will continue to require the use of unique materials or systems of materials with diverse functionalities in increasingly confined spaces.

Hence, research on finite-dimensional systems strive to unearth and expand the knowledge of fundamental physical properties in certain key materials which exhibit numerous concurrent and exploitable functions.

Correspondingly, ferroelectric nanostructures, which particularly display a plethora of complex phenomena, prevalent in countless fields of research, are noteworthy candidates. Presently, however, the assimilation of zero-(0D) and one-dimensional (1D) ferroelectric into micro- or nano-electronics has been lagging, in part due to a lack of applied and fundamental studies but …

Optimization Of Sample Preparation In Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (Maldi) Mass Spectrometry Of Macromolecules, Evgenia Akhmetova

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

New method for the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and Fourier transform mass spectrometry (MALDI-FTMS) analysis of low molecular weight polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) was developed and then applied to the characterization of commercially available chewing gum. The optimization of MALDI analysis of PVAc was achieved by investigating the influence of sample preparation variables such as the choice of solvent and choice of matrix-analyte ratio. It was demonstrated that the use of ethyl acetate as a solvent and 2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid as a matrix yielded the highest signal intensity for the pure polymer sample. The application of TOF technique did not …

Synthetic Aperture Radar With Compressed Sensing, Yufeng Cao

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

A general synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signal model is derived from the Maxwell’s equations, and compressed sensing are introduced to the signal model for SAR image reconstruction. Random Partial Fourier Matrices were applied to prove that compressed sensing can be used to this signal model from the viewpoint of mathematics. In the numerical simulation part, we show that the procedure of basis pursuit can reconstruct SAR image, based on our main results, which is shown efficient in comparison with the matched filter algorithm.

On Cubic Multisections, Andrew Alaniz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this thesis, a systematic procedure is given for generating cubic multi-sections of Eisenstein series. The relevant series are determined from Fourier expansions for Eisenstein series by restricting the congruence class of the summation index modulo three. The resulting series are shown to be rational functions of the Dedekind eta function. A more general treatment of cubic dissection formulas is given by describing the dissection operators in terms of linear transformations.

Lax Pairs For Some Nonlinear Equations, Ana Castillo

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Several methods have been proposed to approach the topic of integrable systems of nonlinear partial differential equations. One of these methods is called the Lax pair. The Lax pair is a pair of matrices or operators, that depend on time and satisfy the Lax equation. Based on the inverse scattering method introduced by Gardner, Greene, Kruskal and Miura (1967), Peter Lax introduced the Lax pair to derive soliton equations from the Lax equation. This thesis provides with a brief background on soliton theory, inverse scattering theory, and Lax pairs. The details missing in the work published by Ablowitz, Kaup, Newell, …

Traveling Wave Solution To Two-Dimensional Burgers-Korteweg-De Vries Equation, Xiaoqian Gong

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this thesis, we study the Two-Dimensional Burgers-Korteweg-de Vries (2D-BKdV) equation by analyzing the equivalent Abel equation, which indicates that under some particular conditions, the 2D-BKdV equation has a unique bounded traveling wave solution. By using the theorem of contractive mapping, a traveling wave solution to the 2D-BKdV equation is expressed explicitly. In the end, the behavior of the proper solution of the 2D-BKdV equation is established by applying the comparison theorem of differential equations.

A Mathematical Model And Numerical Method For Thermoelectric Dna Sequencing, Liwei Shi

Doctoral Dissertations

DNA sequencing is the process of determining the precise order of nucleotide bases, adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine within a DNA molecule. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases in a strand of DNA. The advent of rapid DNA sequencing methods has greatly accelerated biological and medical research and discovery. Thermoelectric DNA sequencing is a novel method to sequence DNA by measuring the heat that is released when DNA polymerase inserts a deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate into a growing DNA strand. The thermoelectric device for this project is composed of four parts: …

Biodiesel Transesterification Byproducts As Soil Amendments, Solomon Parker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For every ten kilograms of biodiesel that is produced from the transesterification of vegetable oil, approximately 1 kg of glycerol is produced as a byproduct. Also known as glycerin, it is a chemical used in many products including cosmetics, foods, and desiccants. However, the crude glycerol created during biodiesel production is tainted with potassium hydroxide and methanol making it unsuitable for commercial use without costly refinement. With increase in production of biodiesel driven by rising fuel prices, the market has become glutted with glycerol and it is on the threshold of becoming a waste product. Common methods for disposing glycerol …

Investigations Toward Tunability Of Mechanical, Thermal, And Impact Properties Of Thiol-Ene Networks For Novel High Energy Absorbing Materials, Olivia Devon Mcnair

Dissertations

The UV polymerization of thiols with electron rich alkenes is a highly resourceful reaction that has been utilized by scientists within various disciplines to produce an even more versatile display of applications. This dissertation focuses on a newer application, thiol-ene network (TEN) materials for energy absorption devices. TEN networks display a host of positive polymer properties such as low stress, high optical clarity and uniformity, but they also suffer from unfavorable mechanical properties such as low toughness and elongation at break. The poor mechanical properties demonstrated by TENs prohibit them as choice materials for applications requiring thicker material forms, including …

Active Galactic Nuclei Mergers And Outflows: Observations From Optical And Ultraviolet Emission Lines, Robert Scott Barrows

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I have investigated the nature of a subset of active galactic nuclei (AGN) which show double peaks in their characteristic optical and ultraviolet emission lines. I have performed this investigation through studies of the broad emission line regions (BLRs), which are produced less than 1 pc from the central supermassive black hole (SMBH), and the narrow emission line regions (NLRs), which originate at larger (kpc) distances. The BLR studies consist of detailed line modeling of two individual quasars with double-peaked broad emission line profiles. The modeling suggests there are two primary interpretations of the complex broad line profiles. The first …

Hardy Space Properties Of The Cauchy Kernel Function For A Strictly Convex Planar Domain, Belen Espinosa Lucio

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work is based on a paper by Edgar Lee Stout, where it is shown that for every strictly pseudoconvex domain $D$ of class $C^2$ in $\mathbb{C}^N$, the Henkin-Ram\'irez Kernel Function belongs to the Smirnov class, $E^q(D)$, for every $q\in(0,N)$.

The main objective of this dissertation is to show an analogous result for the Cauchy Kernel Function and for any strictly convex bounded domain in the complex plane. Namely, we show that for any strictly convex bounded $D\subset\mathbb{C}$ of class $C^2$ if we fix $\zeta$ in the boundary of $D$ and consider the Cauchy Kernel Function

\mathcal{K}(\zeta,z)=\frac{1}{2\pi i}\frac{1}{\zeta-z}

as a …

Interactions Between Ions And Lysenin Nanochannels And Their Potential Applications As Biosensors, Radwan Awwad Al Faouri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lysenin is classified as a pore-forming toxin protein that is isolated from the earthworm Eisenia fetida and consists of 297 amino acids [1]. Lysenin inserts large conducting pores (3.0-4.7 nm in diameter) into artificial membranes (BLM) which include sphingomyelin. These pores (channels) are open and oriented upon insertion into the bilayer lipid membrane. Lysenin channels gate at positive voltages (voltage-induced gating), but not at negative voltages. Lysenin pores also exhibit activity modulation in response to changes in ionic strength and pH, indicating that electrostatic interaction is responsible for Lysenin conductance activities. In this line of inquiries, and by modulating Lysenin …

Quantum Resonant Beats And Revivals In The Morse Oscillators And Rotors, Zhenhua Li

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Analytical eigenfunctions and eigenvalues for the Morse oscillator were applied to investigate the quantum resonant beats and revivals of wave packet propagation. A concise way for exact prediction of the complete revival period of the Morse oscillator was given for the first time. It was suggested that any complete period was made of integer numbers of the minimum or fundamental period. Within the fundamental period, the anharmonicity of this oscillator appeared to cause interesting space-time phenomena that include relatively simple Farey-sum revival structures. In addition, a simple sum of two Morse oscillators led to a double-Morse well whose geometric symmetry …

The Geometry And Sensitivity Of Ion-Beam Sculpted Nanopores For Single Molecule Dna Analysis, Ryan Connor Rollings

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, the relationship between the geometry of ion-beam sculpted solid-state nanopores and their ability to analyze single DNA molecules using resistive pulse sensing is investigated. To accomplish this, the three dimensional shape of the nanopore is determined using energy filtered and tomographic transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that this information enables the prediction of the ionic current passing through a voltage biased nanopore and improves the prediction of the magnitude of current drop signals when the nanopore interacts with single DNA molecules. The dimensional stability of nanopores in solution is monitored using this information and is improved …

New Effects Of Aging And Lattice Intercalation On Surface Properties Of Titanate Nanobelts, Roger Williams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Titanate nanobelts (NBs) have structural characteristics beyond that of clays. Due to a negatively charged lattice matrix of edge-shared TiO6-octahedra, the location of intercalated cations within the interlayer space may dictate the charge-conductions. This environment may in turn govern the lattice-framework's stability and surface properties, based upon our preliminary

data.

On that basis, these nanomaterials have been found in our lab to possess superb biological compatibility that is closely related to the types of the intercalated cations. In addition, a prolonged agitation was proven to enable us to manipulate the titanate NBs' length. In a parallel study, a ripening was …

Plasmonic Nanostructures For The Absorption Enhancement Of Silicon Solar Cells, Nathan Matthias Burford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this work, computational investigation of plasmonic nanostructures was conducted using the commercial finite element electromagnetics solver Ansys® HFSS. Arrays of silver toroid nanoparticles located on the surface of an amorphous silicon thin-film absorbing layer were studied for particle sizes ranging from 20 nm to 200 nm in outer diameter. Parametric optimization by calculating an approximation of the photocurrent enhancement due to the nanoparticles was performed to determine optimal surface coverage of the nanoparticles. A comparison was made between these optimized nanotoroid arrays and optimized nanosphere arrays based on spectral absorption enhancement and potential photocurrent enhancement in an amorphous silicon …