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While landscape has long been an active field of study within archaeology, little attention has been given to place. However, as conceptions of landscapes become increasingly nuanced and complex, it becomes increasingly appropriate to shift the focus of analysis to place in order to better engage with the experiential, sensory, and emotive aspects of lived spaces and worlds. Furthermore, place encourages a broader perspective and holistic approach in which the past and present are intertwined and therefore equally significant to interpretations. This thesis investigates the relationship between archaeology and senses of place in order to examine the ways in which the remains of the past are relevant to the present. Two Irish islands - Valentia Island and Achill Island - are explored through engagement with their archaeological landscapes, historical research, and ethnography. The study shows that conceptions of the islands as places are characterised by perceptions and relationships with their pasts. Furthermore, both places are largely identified by their more recent histories, particularly the 19th century, demonstrating the importance of historical and contemporary archaeology. In short, this study shows that archaeology and senses of place are linked, and that each influences the other. Thus it is suggested that in order to fully understand the archaeology of a particular place some engagement with such aspects of place are necessary. Furthermore, in order to best serve the communities and societies which inhabit these spaces and landscapes, archaeology should take into account contemporary perspectives and experiences, and this means engaging with place as a conceptual framework

Inadequate software development collaboration processes can allow technical debt to accumulate increasing future maintenance costs and the chance of system failures. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore collaboration strategies software development leaders use to reduce the amount of technical debt created by software developers. The study population was software development leaders experienced with collaboration and technical debt at a large health care provider in the state of California. The data collection process included interviews with 8 software development leaders and reviewing 19 organizational documents relating to software development methods. The extended technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework to better understand the social and cognitive influences on the perceived usefulness of collaboration in reducing technical debt. An inductive analysis of the data was used for coding, triangulation, and identifying themes related to the use of collaboration strategies to reduce technical debt. Prominent themes included using collaboration at all stages of development, using continuous verification processes, promoting a participatory culture, and using tools to support distributed teams. The study findings showed an environment that promotes collaboration, a culture that encourages participation, and accessibility to collaborative tools that may reduce technical debt in software projects. The results of this study may contribute to positive social change by demonstrating how individuals with diverse backgrounds and different perspectives can work together to improve critical software that people depend on every day. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The intent of this dissertation was to determine the most common compensation practices higher education institutions provided faculty for developing and delivering online courses. Many higher education institutions provided compensation as motivational tools to elicit faculty participation in new online learning initiatives; however, limited research was available on equitable compensation for these services. The population consisted of 263 small, medium, and large baccalaureate and masters level private and state-funded not-for-profit United States higher education institutions. This population was selected using the maximum number of institutions identified by the Carnegie Classification system that met these criteria. Data for this study were collected using a survey that contained 16 closed-ended questions and five open-ended questions. The data collected included institution demographics and current compensation practices each institution used to compensate faculty for developing and delivering online courses. Frequency analyses were conducted on the data to determine which compensation practices and financial ranges were selected most often. Fifty-eight participants (36%) were from institutions serving between 3,000-9,999 students. Eighty-three participants (51.6%) offered between zero and four online programs and 145 participants (88.4%) provided instructional design services to faculty who developed and delivered online courses. The results of this study established that the average online course cap limit of was 25.1. The results of this study also established that 96 participants (59.6%) provided financial compensation in the range of $1,001-$2,500 for developing online courses making it the most common compensation practice provided for online course development. Seventy-seven (47.8%) of the participating institutions provided financial compensation in the range of $1,001-$2,500 for delivering online courses making it the most common compensation practice provided for online course delivery. In addition, this study determined on average small and medium institutions most frequently provided financial compensation in the range of $1,001-$2,500 and large institutions most frequently provided financial compensation in the range of $2,501-$4,000 for developing online courses. Finally, this study determined on average small and medium institutions most frequently provided financial compensation in the range of $1,001-$2,500 and large institutions most frequently provided financial compensation in the range of $2,501-$4,000 for delivering online courses. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

PurposeTo compare the effectiveness and side effects of methadone and other opioids when given as a breakthrough pain medication.Patients and MethodsRetrospective chart analysis of hospitalized patients with severe pain requiring scheduled methadone for their constant pain, and either received methadone or “other opioid” (such as morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, or fentanyl) as their breakthrough “as-needed” (PRN) pain medication from November 2017 to January 2022. The methadone PRN pain medication group was compared to a similar group of randomized patients requiring “other opioid” PRN group over the same time period.ResultsA total of 207 inpatients who required scheduled methadone was compared in two cohorts, either prescribed methadone PRN for breakthrough pain (n = 101) or “other opioid” PRN for breakthrough pain (n = 106) for 1,712 total PRN administrations (n = 484 and 1,228, respectively). The groups were well matched, but more prevalent in those with renal disease; and statistically significant more younger patients and those with polysubstance use disorder received methadone PRN. Both methadone and “other opioid” PRN pain cohorts had similar PRN opioid milligram (mg) equivalents (OME) (mean 35.68, SD 30.25 and mean 38.54, SD 30.86, respectively) per day, additional adjuvant pain medications (2.4 and 2.8, respectively) and had similar pain score reduction effectiveness [mean pain difference -2.34 (SD 2.09) and -2.27 (SD 2.03, respectively]. Neither PRN medication group exhibited a statistically significant difference in typical side effects, such as nausea, pruritus, respiratory depression, altered mental status, or the more serious Rapid Response Team (RRT) assessments or naloxone administrations for opioid toxicity.ConclusionMethadone PRN was as an effective analgesic compared to “other opioids” PRN when used as a breakthrough pain medication. It did not have more side effects or serious life-threatening events. Treating severe pain with methadone PRN may be advantageous when treating seriously ill patients and specific comorbidities. These comorbidities include the presence of polysubstance use disorder, especially heroin or opioid use disorder; and those with poor or worsening renal function. It also has unique pharmacological properties over other opioids because methadone does not require renal excretion, has few active metabolites, and is minimally removed by dialysis. Additionally, its liquid formulation allows for precise titration, and feeding tube access, and a sublingual route when there is loss of IV access or oral route.

The origination and application of a textual analysis of identity, identity formation, and perception of the self and the individual is, as a part of a specific time and space, something that is sociological in nature. The anthropological links between fiction and its sociological aspects highlight symbols of identity and interactions between the self, the other, and the individual. The end goal of this project’s articulated theoretical model is to contribute to readings and analysis of the self and identity in different, othered spaces. This project works towards locating patterns and understanding that make the text and its underlying archetypal and mythological structures work so well with contemporary readers. It is grounded in the serious nature of contemporary storytelling as a part of the self, individual identity, and its place in society and culture. There is no shortage of specific work in literary analysis that relies on aspects of the hero’s journey, the archetypes, and identity. This theoretical model of analysis adapts myth and C.G. Jung to incorporate much of this material into something cohesive and applicable to contemporary genre fiction. Because of this, this project necessitates the introduction of a definition of myth that situates contemporary genre texts as uniquely anthropological artifacts and as items worth analyzing and containing content capable of explicating overarching themes of the individual, the self, and the other in relation to identity formation in opposition. This new and adapted terminology from both myth and Jung assists in reorganizing a vocabulary that allows the analysis to delve into discussions on the creative representation of self, other, gender, sexual identity, the mind and body, transhumanism, and trans(inter)national identity, as well as help highlight how these representations are internalized or externalized by those who read these works of contemporary genre fiction and how these representations and internalizations are essential to the budding cultural mythology of which these characters are playing a big part.

In this research a novel method for the rapid, direct measurement of oxidative lycopene degradation in oil-in-water emulsions via colorimetric means was developed. This analytical method was used to conduct experiments monitoring the degradation of lycopene-containing oil-in-water emulsions of decane spontaneously formed in the presence of nonionic surfactants (Span and Tween) of different tail lengths and molar ratios. The structure and ratio of these nonionic surfactants was manipulated to probe the mechanism of lycopene stabilization when iron-catalyzed oxidation was the main pathway of degradation, as controlled by pH and oil phase selection. The effect of addition of chloride salts with different cations was also investigated. Optimum conditions for evaluation were developed using a Span 80/Tween 80 surfactant combination and lycopene extracted into decane from tomato paste. Using 0.5% FeCl3 concentration and ~2 millimoles surfactant at a pH of ~3, 2-hour degradation experiments were performed to evaluate various Span/Tween nonionic surfactant combinations for oxidative stability. Tails of lauryl (C12), myristyl (C14), stearyl (C18) and oleyl (C18:1 unsaturated) groups were evaluated. It was found that in general, for a fixed molar amount of surfactant, increasing the amount of Tween (hydrophilic surfactant) increased the stability of the lycopene emulsion. In addition, tail length of the surfactant plays a role in the stability of the emulsions with shorter, less hydrophobic tail lengths providing better oxidative stability. Lithium, sodium, and potassium chloride were added to emulsions of lycopene in decane made with Span 20 and Tween 20 surfactants and evaluated for oxidative stability in iron-catalyzed conditions. It was found that stability decreased according to the Hofmeister Series for cations. The order of stability was found to be: K+ > Na+ > Li+. Increasing concentration of cation resulted in decreased lycopene stability for all cations.

Around 80% of women experience vaginal tears during labor when the diameter of the vagina must increase from ~2.5 cm to ~9.5 cm to allow the passage of a full-term baby. Vaginal tears vary from superficial cuts of the mucosal lining to tears propagating through the entire vaginal wall and into the surrounding tissues and organs. Complications associated with vaginal tears include postpartum hemorrhaging, fecal incontinence, urinary incontinence, and dyspareunia. Beyond the agonizing pain, these complications are emotionally and psychologically traumatic for women. Prevention, evaluation, and treatment of vaginal tears and subsequent conditions are limited due to the lack of studies examining the mechanical behavior of the pelvic floor tissues. Therefore, the mechanical response of healthy and torn vaginal tissue is investigated here to establish quantitative metrics for maternal healthcare. Toward this end, swine and rat vaginal tissue is subjected to biaxial loads until tearing to reveal its mechanical properties. The resulting large inhomogeneous deformations are measured by the digital image correlation optical method to calculate material strain. The influence of these strains near to and far from the immediate vicinity of the tears on the tearing behavior is studied. Coupling mechanisms of the mechanical properties in the circumferential and axial directions as well as their effect on the nature of tear resistance is studied. Collagen fibers, the component within tissue responsible for its strength under tension, are imaged using a multiphoton microscopy technique known as second-harmonic generation imaging to investigate the change in organization with mechanical loading. Furthermore, imaging is performed in the near-regions of tears to reveal the relationship between collagen fibers and tearing resistance. The data collected through these studies provide new knowledge on the nonlinear elastic behavior of vaginal tissue, the geometrical and micro-structural characteristics of tears, and the mechanisms that contribute to the formation and propagation of tears. The mechanical properties and tearing mechanisms of vaginal tissue will be crucial in developing new prevention and treatment methods for maternal trauma following childbirth. Episiotomy, late-term stretching, surgical treatment with graft materials and other protocols will all benefit from a mechanically-informed perspective. It is our hope that this work will raise awareness to the serious complexities of pelvic floor trauma and encourage a more refined and systematic approach to the inspection, imaging, and treatment of all vaginal tears following delivery. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation fund #1511603 and the Institute for Critical Technology and Sciences at Virginia Tech.

Severe weather and natural or man-made disasters continue to impact every state across the United States and even every nation globally. Emergency preparedness and the ability to respond to and recover from catastrophic events is a critically important element for all communities. There is not a standard response mechanism used nationally despite having the existence of organizations such as FEMA. States vary in the response mechanisms in place, but some communities have set up programs to address catastrophic events. This study focuses on New York counties utilizing emergency coordinators and supporting organizations within governmental agencies and across their communities to establish protocols and ensure action plans are in place. The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is one group tasked with information transmission in counties as mandated by the state, but it is not implemented to the same degree in all areas. This study seeks to understand the use of LEPCs in upstate counties (outside New York City and Long Island) to clarify communication mechanisms used and compare with state level data on communication effectiveness in both rural and urban settings. In general, counties rely on the Emergency Management Coordinator to develop sound communication networks to plan for disasters. There is also support for the development of mechanisms to better inform community residents both in planning and implementing recovery efforts after a disaster.

This report summarizes my experience as Miami University’s Interim Director of the Environmental Health & Safety Offices (EHSO) which I used to satisfy the professional experience requirements for a Master of Environmental Science degree from Miami’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability. As Interim Director of EHSO, I managed the offices through a time of aggressive change. This included a change in EHSO reporting lines, a transition of Risk Management functions to another department and relocating the EHSO. I was also responsible for addressing union safety concerns at Labor-Management Committee meetings and the hiring of a new employee. Two major projects that I worked on were developing and implementing a “Restricted Access” Standard Operating Procedure for construction and maintenance workers that entered laboratory spaces and the installation of an Emergency Responder Radio Coverage System in campus structures that had deficient radio reception.

Neuromodulation in sensory circuits is critical because it allows an organism to respond appropriately to a given stimulus. Sensory systems are modulated by monoamine neurotransmitters as well as neuropeptides, which act in concert to regulate sensory circuits to give rise to complex behavioral states. One common technique for studying sensory circuits is brain activity mapping, where circuits are probed with fluorescent indicators whose readouts are related directly to neuronal activity. In the present work, we focus on the modulation of a pair of sensory neurons, the ASHs, in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. ASHs are polymodal, nociceptive neurons that are extensively modulated by monoamines and neuropeptides. Using a combination of genetics, Ca2+ imaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral assays, we have identified a complex instance where the monoamine serotonin (5-HT) stimulates aversive behaviors and neuronal depolarization, but decreases sensory-evoked Ca2+ signals, indicating that the recorded Ca2+ levels do not positively correlate with neuronal activity. Mechanistically, 5-HT is likely acting through the SER-5 receptor and Gαq signaling in ASHs to downregulate Ca2+ directly by initiating a Ca2+-driven negative feedback loop targeting the L-type Ca2+ channel EGL-19. Together, these studies reveal a complex inhibitory feedback mechanism for sensory modulation, and have broad implications for activity mapping of complex neural circuits.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology has many known benefits in diagnosis and treatment planning for both orthodontics and oral surgery, but systems to translate these benefits directly into patient treatment are still early in development. The purpose of this study is to define a protocol that incorporates multiple commercially available technologies into a patient's orthognathic surgery treatment, and to evaluate the accuracy in which a clinician can utilize this protocol to produce an intended result for that patientMethods and Materials: Presurgical CBCT scans of 14 patients who had previously undergone orthognathic surgery (maxillary LeFort I osteotomy, mandibular bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO), or both) were segmented to isolate their jaws for independent manipulation. High resolution 3D images (Motion View Software, LLC, Chattanooga, TN) of the patient's dentition were then superimposed onto the segmented DICOM, and virtual surgery was performed using each patient's plaster-model surgery set-up as a guide and the Dolphin 11.7 software (Chatsworth, CA). Virtual splints were then designed and processed into tangible objects using computer aided design (CAD/CAM) printing technology. The difference in mandibular-maxillary relationship defined by the virtually designed splints compared to traditionally designed splints, was measured by calculating the distance between three mandibular fiducials, after superimposing CBCT scans of models mounted using each splint. Results: Mean linear differences were found to be less than 1mm +/- SD in all dimensionsConclusions: Virtual simulation of orthognathic surgery coupled to steriolithographic surgical splint generation is reliable, efficient, and potentially accurate to within 1mm of actual procedure outcomes.

In Drosophila embryos, the mid-blastula transition (MBT) dramatically remodels the cell cycle during interphase 14. Before the MBT, each cycle is composed of only a short S-phase and mitosis. At the MBT, S-phase is dramatically lengthened by the onset of late replication, and a G2 phase is introduced. These changes set the stage for morphogenesis, including the cellularization of the syncytial embryo and the onset of gastrulation. The introduction of the G2 phase was known to result from the downregulation of Cdc25 phosphatase and the inactivation of Cdk1 kinase; however, the signals modifying S-phase were unknown. We injected cdc25 mRNA to bypass the developmentally programmed downregulation of Cdc25 at the MBT. Introduction of either Cdc25 isoform (String or Twine) or enhanced Cdk1 activity triggered premature replication of late-replicating sequences, even after their specification, and thereby shortened S-phase. Reciprocally, reduction of Cdk1 activity by knockdown of mitotic cyclins extended pre-MBT S-phase. These findings suggest that high Cdc25 and Cdk1 contribute to the speed of the rapid, pre-MBT S-phases.Previous reports suggested that downregulation of Cdc25 activity at the MBT resulted from elimination of cdc25 transcripts. However, premature removal of cdc25 transcripts by RNAi did not affect progression to the MBT. Instead, a new antibody against the Cdc25 isoform Twine showed that Twine protein was abundant and stable until the MBT, when it was destabilized and rapidly eliminated. Twine protein destruction was timed by the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio and depended on the activation of zygotic transcription at the MBT, including expression of the gene tribbles, whose activity was sufficient to trigger Twine destruction and was required for prompt Twine disappearance.Thus, we propose that the nucleo-cytoplasmic ratio triggers the remodeling of the cell cycle at the MBT by triggering the onset of transcription of a group of genes that inactivate Cdk1 (including through the destruction of Twine), which results in the lengthening of S-phase and addition of the G2 phase.

The Wind River Range is a continuous mountain range approximately 160 km in length in west-central Wyoming. The Wind River Range is host to roughly 680 snow and ice bodies with 63 of these considered glaciers including seven of the ten largest glaciers in the American Rocky Mountains. The presence of glaciers results in meltwater contributions to streamflow during the late summer (July, August, and September – JAS) when snowmelt is decreasing, temperatures are high, precipitation is low, and irrigation demand continues. Most studies indicate that the glaciers in the Wind River Range have been retreating since the 1850’s, the approximate end of the Little Ice Age. Thus, the quantification of glacier meltwater (e.g., volume, mass) contributions to late-summer/early-fall streamflow is important given this resource is dwindling due to glacier recession. The current research expands upon previous research efforts and identified two glaciated watersheds, one on the east slope (Bull Lake Creek) and one on the west slope (Green River) of the Wind River Range in which unimpaired streamflow is available from 1966 to 2006. Glaciers were delineated within each watershed and area estimates (with error) were obtained for the years 1966, 1989 and 2006. Glacier volume (mass) loss (with error) was estimated using empirically based volume-area scaling relationships. For 1966 to 2006, glacier mass contributions to JAS streamflow on the east slope were approximately 8% while on the west slope were approximately 2%. The volume-area scaling glacier mass estimates compared favorably with measured (stereo-pairs remote sensed data) estimates of glacier mass change for three glaciers (Teton, Middle Teton, Teepe) in the nearby Teton Range and one glacier (Dinwoody) in the Wind River Range. While glacier mass contribution to JAS streamflow was estimated at 8% (east slope) and 2% (west slope) from 1966 to 2006, an increase was observed during the period of 1989 to 2006 (>11% - east slope and >3% - west slope). Historic climate data, including precipitation (snowpack) and temperature (JAS average) showed a decrease in snowpack and rapid increase in temperatures during the 1989 to 2006 period, which most likely explains this increase in glacier melt.

Three experiments were performed to demonstrate that thermal analysis is an important tool for use in colleges and universities for conducting scientific research. The first experiment used thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal mechanical analysis to compare polymer resins from two ResinKits®, one from 1994 and the other from 2010. Analysis was done to determine if resins from the 1994 kit were viable standards. The experiments showed significant thermal differences between select resins and it was concluded that resins form the 1994 ResinKit® are no longer acceptable as standards.The second experiment used thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry to determine the concentration of bound and un-bound water in commercial and generic samples of milk of magnesia. Those thermal methods were compared to traditional methods and it was determined that thermogravimetry was best suited for determining bound water and that differential scanning calorimetry revealed thermal differences that none of the other thermal techniques could detect.In the third experiment, four chemically similar aldohexose monosaccharides were evaluated using thermogravimetry to determine if the thermal analytical technique was sensitive enough to differentiate between the four monosaccharides. It was determined that thermogravimetry could detect differences between two groups of monosaccharides, but not between each monosaccharide individually.The result of these experiments clearly shows that thermal analysis is a valuable tool for scientific research and needs to be included more as part of the curriculum for chemistry students and not delegated as a “niche” study of only limited value.

Speculative fictions present us with stories that ask the question "what if?" In the past decades there has been a noticeable increase in the amount of speculative fiction in Western popular media. War-themed video games represent one of the most popular interactive texts that have embraced the speculative fiction genre. There is a multitude of research that examines non-fiction war games and those based loosely on some actual or historical conflict. This research diverges from that path by analyzing the narrative and structure of a series of fictional war games set in the modern era. The game presents a narrative structured much like that of a theatrical performance. Characters, settings, and conflicts have foundations based on reality that help develop a hyperreal simulation of international conflict in a fictional gameworld. Through the use of narrative analysis, along with an examination of the game's structure, this research shows how concepts of modern socialization, popular war themes, and recollections of past enemies combine to create a fictional portrayal of modern war. The research reveals how the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series attempts to create a balance between a realistic depiction and a culturally idyllic version of contemporary warfare centered on individual action and those outside Western socially constructed worlds.

This dissertation argues that the strong relationship that historians see between the South and West in the early 19th century, which allowed them to form what scholars have termed the Old South, had its origins in the twenty-year period after the American Revolution when a group of far-sighted southerners worked to form a political bond between the two regions. They did so by tirelessly defending the West and westerners against political and economic attacks, often from northerners but sometimes from people within their own region. Within the ongoing debate over the emergence of a southern consciousness, historians have overlooked one important factor in its development-the West. Although it would be incorrect to argue that southern consciousness began in the 1780s or 1790s, it would not be remiss to argue that southerners began to look at the trans-Appalachian West during this period as something more than just virgin territory. A few southerners, particularly James Madison, saw the South's political future entwined with the West's advancement and worked to ensure that a strong political relationship developed between the two regions. For people like Madison, this political merger of the two sections is what they meant when they talked about a "southern and western interest." Historians should be careful not to take the close relationship present in the nineteenth century between the South and the trans-Appalachian West for granted. Although the two regions shared many interests, family and slavery being just two, the close relationship that developed happened because of the hard work and dedication of a handful of forward-looking southerners in the late eighteenth century. The history of these two regions during this twenty-year period is far more complicated than historians have imagined and described.

Directed evolution of E. coli for improved small-molecule production requires a combination of rational design and high-throughput screening technologies. Rational design-based directed evolution schemes use structural analyses and metabolic models to help identify targets for mutagenesis, thus improving the likelihood of identifying the desired phenotype. We used a strictly rational design-based approach to re-engineer cytochrome P450BM3 for epoxidation of amorphadiene, developing a novel route for production of the anti-malarial compound artemisinin. A model structure of the lowest energy transition state complex for amorphadiene in the P450BM3 active site was created using ROSETTA-based energy minimization. The resulting enzyme variant produced artemisinic-11S,12-epoxide at titers greater than 250 mg*l-1. Continued attempts to use ROSETTA and to either improve P450BM3 epoxidase activity or introduce hydroxylase activity, however, proved unsuccessful. In the absence of a high-throughput screening approach, further improvement of the P450-based production system would be difficult.As with most small-molecules, there exists no known high-throughput screen for artemisinic-11S-12-epoxide, amorphadiene, or any structurally-related compound. We hypothesized that a generalized method for high-throughput screen or selection design could be based on transcription factor-promoter pairs responding to the target small-molecule. Transcription factors have long been used to construct whole-cell biosensors for the detection of environmental small-molecule pollutants1, but the work has remained largely un-translated toward screen development. While no known transcription factor binds artemisinic epoxide, a putative transcription factor-promoter pair responsive to 1-butanol, a biofuel molecule of interest in our laboratory, was recently reported2. The transcription factor, BmoR, and its cognate promoter, PBMO, were used to build a short-chain alcohol biosensor for use as a genetic screen or selection. Following optimization of expression temperature, promoter, and reporter 5'-untranslated region, among other parameters, the BmoR-PBMO system was shown to provide robust detection of 1-butanol in an E. coli host. The biosensor transfer function - relating input alcohol concentration to output fluorescent signal - was derived for 1-butanol and structurally related alcohols using the Hill Equation. The biosensor exhibited a linear response between 100 µM and 40 mM 1-butanol, and a dynamic range of over 8000 GFP/OD600 units. A 700 µM difference in 1-butanol concentration could be detected at 95% confidence. By replacing the GFP reporter with TetA, a tetracycline transporter, a 1-butanol selection was constructed; E. coli harboring the TetA-based biosensor exhibited 1-butanol dependent growth in the presence of tetracycline up to 40 mM exogenously added 1-butanol.Demonstration of the biosensor in various high-throughput screening and selection applications first required construction of a 1-butanol production host. Studies have reporter 1-butanol production in E. coli through heterologous expression of either the C. acetobutylicum 1-butanol biosynthetic pathway3, or a 2-keto acid-based pathway composed of a L. lactis 2-keto acid decarboxylase, KivD, and the S. cerevisiae alcohol reductase, ADH64. In our hands, the C. acetobutylicum pathway proved non-robust and yielded low titers. In contrast, high-titer production of user-defined 2-keto acid derived alcohols was achieved by introduction of a ΔilvDAYC knockout in E. coli and expression of KivD and ADH6. The engineered strain is auxotrophic for 2-keto acids, and 1-butanol was produced by supplementing the growth medium with 2-oxopentanoate. A liquid culture screen was demonstrated using a 960-member KivD and ADH6 ribosome binding site library. Using the TetA-based biosensor, a strict cut-off between analyte 1-butanol concentration and biosensor output was observed. The assay led to the identification of a variant 2-keto acid-based alcohol production pathway exhibiting an approximately 20% increase in specific 1-butanol productivity.Attempts to engineer concomitant 1-butanol production and selection in E. coli proved difficult. Both production and detection pathways functioned robustly when individually expressed in engineered E. coli; however, concomitant production and detection resulted in increased plasmid instability and cell death. We conclude by providing an analysis of observed cell stresses, generating negative 1-butanol selective pressures, and outline future strategies that can be used to address these hurdles.

Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) is a powerful new technique for examining the electronic and vibronic couplings and dynamics of chemical, semiconductor, and biological samples. We present several technical innovations in the implementation of 2DES. We have performed two-color 2DES experiments, extending the technique’s ability to study energy transfer to states at frequencies far from the initial absorption. We have demonstrated 2DES in the pump-probe geometry using a pulse-shaper. This method eliminates many technical challenges inherent to previous implementations of 2DES, making it a more widely accessible technique. To broaden the available frequency information, we have demonstrated 2DES with a continuum probe pulse. We have utilized this method to observe vibrational wavepacket dynamics in a laser dye, demonstrating that these dynamics modulate 2D lineshapes and must be accounted for in modelling 2DES data. We perform 2DES studies on the Qy band of the D1D2-cyt.b559 reaction center of plant photosystem II. This reaction center is the core oxygen-evolving complex in plant photosynthesis, taking in light energy and forming a charge separated state capable of splitting water. Understanding the relationship between the structure and function has both fundamental importance and applications to improving artificial light-harvesting. Traditional spectroscopy methods have been unable to completely resolve the time-ordering of energy and charge transfer events or the degree of electronic coupling between chromophores due to severe spectral congestion in the Qy band. 2DES extends previous methods by frequency-resolving an additional dimension to reveal the degree of static disorder and electronic coupling, as well as a detailed picture of energy and charge transfer dynamics that will allow tests of excitonic models of the reaction center. Our data show direct evidence of electronic coupling and rapid sub-ps energy transfer between “blue” and “red” states. We measure charge transfer times of 1-3 ps, with evidence to support a recent model in which primary charge separation follows two separate pathways. Slow time components of ~7 ps and ~50 ps are also observed. The former is consistent with slow energy transfer from blue-absorbing states while the latter may indicate secondary charge transfer or slow charge transfer from a degenerate trap state.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant and prominent disability that affects millions of people every year, ranging widely in severity based on the existence or absence of certain symptoms. More specifically, concussions and other forms of mild TBI (mTBI) have the highest prevalence as they account for about 75% of all TBIs (CDC, 2003), with sequelae occurring in any of several areas of functioning (e.g., emotional, cognitive, relational, personality). Although impairments are likely to attenuate naturally to sub-clinical levels within three months post injury for a majority of individuals, some continue to demonstrate significant problems years after the injury (Hibbard et al., 2001). Sometimes referred to as the "silent epidemic," mTBI is likely to be present in many clients presenting for psychotherapeutic services but is not always explicitly related to the clinician, thereby creating a potential obstacle to successful treatment. The purpose of the current study was twofold. First, are clinicians able to effectively recognize and identify a client with possible mTBI when provided with symptoms alone without information about a specific traumatic event? Second, does evidence exist to suggest clinicians' style of clinical judgment has a significant influence upon what information is deemed salient and is therefore utilized in the conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment of the client? Forty-nine licensed clinicians were asked to read two separate vignettes of a fictional client presenting for services with several typical mTBI symptoms and asked to complete a related questionnaire about their resulting concerns and conceptualization of the client. Although data analyses did not support either hypothesis, there was evidence to suggest that the timing of when clinicians obtain relevant salient information may have an impact on whether it is utilized or even recognized. The data also suggested that clinicians may be engaging in specific types of more informal methods of clinical judgment. Results of the study are significant in that they highlight the importance of identifying salient client characteristics, assessing clients for neurological deficits, and how influential such information can be in the psychotherapeutic process and treatment outcome.

Recently the Casimir effect has been getting more popular because of

Soybeans are an economically important plant, with an annual crop value that consistently exceeds 20 billion dollars in the United States alone. A recent increase in demand for soybeans, stemming from its diverse applications in products such as animal feed, oil, and biofuel, has created an emphasis for soybean breeders in value added cultivars. These cultivars, have improved, or altered, agronomic or seed composition traits, allowing them to be efficiently utilized in a specific niche of the processing industry. Facilitating the development of such cultivars requires a thorough understanding of the genetic factors that affect the manifestation of value added traits. Value added traits investigated in this study include seed sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, and phytate content, seed weight, and maturity. The objective of the first part of this project was to characterize the source of low seed stachyose in soybean line PI200508. Two F2 populations, developed from PI200508 and soybean introductions which exhibited higher seed stachyose content were utilized in a QTL analysis approach that incorporated the use of the Williams82 whole genome shotgun (WGS) sequence (http://www.phytozome.org) in a candidate gene mapping approach. A predicted soybean galactosyltransferase gene was established as a candidate gene due to its observed segregation with the single low stachyose QTL observed on molecular linkage group (MLG) C2 in both populations. Sequencing of this putative gene revealed a unique 3 bp deletion in PI200508. A marker developed to exploit this deletion accounted for 88% and 94% of the phenotypic variance for seed stachyose content in the two experimental populations, highlighting its potential for use in marker assisted selection of the PI200508 source of low raffinose and stachyose. The second part of this project involved QTL analysis of seed sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, and phytate content, as well as seed weight in a linkage map for a F8 RIL population developed from the Glycine max line V71-370 and the Glycine soja introduction PI40712. Analysis across all 20 soybean MLG identified 25 QTL for these traits on MLG A1, A2, C2, D1b, D2, F, G, H, I, L, M, O. Nine of these QTL were supported across multiple environments, indicating that they, and their associated markers, could be useful to breeders working with these traits. The third part of this project used the same F8 RIL linkage map to investigate time to maturity (Reproductive stage R8). V71-370 and PI407162 differ in time to maturity when grown in Virginia, and the RILs developed from this cross displayed a wide range in maturity. Two major QTL were identified on MLG H and L. Examination of the Williams82 WGS sequence in these QTL regions revealed two predicted genes with homology to Arabidopsis thaliana light response and photoperiodism genes which were investigated as candidate soybean maturity genes. Markers developed from these predicted genes showed close association with the observed QTL, and could facilitate the further investigation of this complex trait.

Atmospheric ammonia (NH₃(g)) poses an environmental concern mainly due its ability to form fine particulate matter (PM2.5 with a diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometers) in the form of ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) and ammonium sulfate ([NH₄]₂SO₄). These forms of PM2.5 may reduce visibility, contribute to eutrophication through deposition, and be detrimental to human health through inhalation. A more complete understanding of ammonia emissions may bring significant PM2.5 reductions within grasp. According to recent studies, one of the largest contributors to atmospheric ammonia is dairy cattle excreta. In this study, seven lactating Holstein cows were subjected to four feeding trials with diets containing 14.5, 15.5, 17, and 18% crude protein (CP). The first objective was to determine the effect of protein content/intake on ammonia fluxes to the atmosphere from each stage of manure handling at a flush dairy. The second objective was to examine the effect of manure handling itself on ammonia fluxes. We examined four different stages of manure handling: 1. Fresh mixture of urine and feces to represent what may be scraped from a barn floor 2. Diluted mixture of urine and feces to represent what is flushed from a barn floor 3. Solids portion of a diluted mixture of urine and feces to represent what is retained by a solids separator at a dairy 4. Liquid portion of a diluted mixture of urine and feces to represent the permeate from a solids separator at a dairy Ammonia fluxes from scraped manure began low and rose to higher fluxes and peaked at an average of 25 hours after mixing urine and feces. Fluxes from flushed manure showed the same behavior. The average pH values for the scraped and flushed manure were relatively low at 6.87±0.17 and 7.05±0.13, respectively, and unfavorable toward ammonia versus ammonium. Fluxes from the separated solids and liquid manure, whose pH values were higher at 8.70±0.30 and 8.55±0.19, respectively, peaked almost immediately. For a time period of 18 hours after beginning flux measurements from the separated liquid manure, fluxes stayed relatively constant. Compared to hours 0-9, fluxes from the separated solids manure decreased 11% in hours 9-18. These results indicate that ammonia fluxes from the scraped and flushed manure were initially limited by the relatively low pH of the slurries, until they aged and released carbon dioxide, after which fluxes became controlled by temperature. Fluxes from the separated solids and liquid manure, however, were temperature-controlled from the start, as this manure had already undergone some aging and the initial pH was more favorable to ammonia loss. Multivariable regressions predicting the mass of ammonia lost to the atmosphere as a function of total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) and temperature (T) show that fluxes from the scraped and flushed manure are very sensitive to temperature compared to the separated solids and liquid manure. The same regressions show that ammonia fluxes from the separated solids and liquid manure are predicted well by TAN and T (R² = 0.906 and 0.812, respectively), indicating that dietary protein manipulation, which affects TAN content of the manure, may have a greater effect in this stage of handling. Regressions predicting the mass of ammonia lost to the atmosphere as a function of crude protein intake show crude protein intake is a poor predictor of the overall ammonia flux from a flush dairy. Low correlation coefficients from these regressions are likely a result of cow-to-cow variability in the effect of crude protein intake on ammonia emissions. Significant reductions in ammonia fluxes are possible; however, they will require new regulations on manure handling at flush dairies or incentives for flush dairies to pursue alternate means of manure handling with low emissions. Dairies can begin attacking the problem of excessive emissions by lowering the dietary protein content for older cows to reduce the mass of TAN excreted in their manure, thereby reducing ammonia fluxes in accordance with Henry's law. Once manure is excreted on the barn floor, dairies must encourage mixing between urine and feces and use the natural acidity of the feces in delaying emissions by converting aqueous ammonia in the urine to ammonium. Dairies can achieve well-mixed slurries by manually mixing the manure or with a sloped floor, channeling urine and feces to a common area. Covering holding tanks containing flushed manure to minimize CO₂ stripping and a rise in pH is one measure that may reduce ammonia fluxes. Finally, requiring nitrification or nitrification and denitrification in on-site storage tanks will biologically convert ammonia to nitrate or nitrogen gas, respectively, reducing fluxes from the separated liquid manure. Although burdensome to dairies, these measures would drastically reduce ammonia emissions from flush dairies. Regulatory agencies may choose to ignore the separated solids manure when considering strategies to reduce ammonia emissions, since ammonia volatilization becomes limited by aqueous ammonia in the first 18 hours following separation.

The artifact assemblage generally known as the Toyah Phase represents not only the final hunter-gatherer cultural manifestation of the prehistoric period in central and southern Texas, but also the only pre-contact hunter-gatherer group in this area known to have manufactured ceramics. At archaeological sites in central Texas, sherds of these plain, bone-tempered ceramics are often found alongside sherds from vessels believed to have been manufactured in east Texas by Caddoan farmers. This thesis utilizes chemical compositional data obtained from Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) of Toyah and Caddoan ceramics recovered from archaeological sites in central Texas to formulate groups of sherds based upon chemical similarity of the materials used in their manufacture. The geographic distribution of the archaeological sites from which these sherds were recovered are examined in an attempt to learn more about the mobility of both Toyah and Caddoan groups. In addition, these groups are examined in light of the ethnohistoric record to suggest possible scenarios of Toyah-Caddoan interaction. Finally, future avenues of research are suggested which could help shed additional light on the results of this study.

Divided government has been studied at length in the political science literature, much of which has focused on the effect of this phenomenon on various legislative outcomes. Despite this high level of attention, the literature has employed a narrow definition of divided government that equates the phenomenon with divided party control. This dissertation demonstrates that divided government is comprised of several distinct components, of which party control is only part. To determine whether government is truly divided, one must include measures of both party (party control and the strength of party majorities) and ideology (in terms of the ideological distance between the president and Congress). When previous studies of divided government are re-examined using these more appropriate measures of the components of divided government, it is clear that both party and ideology drive legislative outcomes. This dissertation demonstrates that divided government is a much more complex political phenomenon. Furthermore, this research suggests that the presidential-congressional relationship may be less adverse during periods of divided party control than periods of unified party control. This underscores the need to include measures that capture the components of divided government in future studies on related topics.

During World War II, 1078 women flew military aircraft in support roles for the United States Air Force as members of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Although portrayed as glamorous, youthful, and exciting, the group was also represented as sexually libertine, unpatriotic, and unladylike. The women pilots seemed to represent more of an affront to the established gender and family systems of 1940s Americans than did other similar service groups, as illustrated by the number of negative events that were peculiar only to the WASP organization, such as disbandment, official denial of military status, absence of post-war retention or reconstitution, and the denial of service benefits in the post war period.The work attempts to explain the failure of the WASP program by looking at how well the service conformed to two important aspects of 1940s Americans’ ideas of proper womanhood – femininity and motherhood. This is accomplished by comparing the public image of the WASP to the public image of other women’s services and to the dominant constructions of womanhood as expressed in a variety of popular media and correspondences.This comparison reveals the numerous reasons why the WASP failed to gain the success of other women’s services. WASP jobs were perceived as aggressively male and did not meet the expectation that women would be supplemental labor. Glamorous imagery of female pilots underscored fun and adventure rather than the preferred expressions of sacrifice and duty. The presence of mothers within the WASP, unique to this service, and the fact that piloting kept these mothers away from their children for extended periods violated American expectations of dutiful motherhood. WASP’ close proximity to male pilots and the fact that their jobs required the wearing of masculinized clothing prompted Americans to think of sexual misconduct and gender transgressions. The large numbers of available male pilots and the decrease in the numbers of pilot positions led to the impression that WASP were selfish for not stepping aside when their supporting role was no longer necessary. WASP failure to conform to gender roles led to an increasing public hostility and the eventual Congressional conclusion that the program was unnecessary and wasteful.

The potential benefits of plant genetic engineering for disease and pest resistance have been widely acknowledged in many studies, and although genetically modified crops are still encountering public wariness, these benefits warrant continued exploration. Because of its intrinsic economic benefits, the development of true potato seed (TPS) cropping systems has been instituted in many regions of the world. The incorporation of transgenic resistance could further the economic gain of farmers who are seeking ways to sustain their livelihood in the most efficient way possible. It is, however, largely unresearched how sexual hybridization of a transgenic crop would affect the behavior of a transgene in the resultant progeny. In the initial part of this study, transgenic lines were developed with a Cry3Aa transgene. These plants were then used in 4x-4x reciprocal crosses and 4x-2x hybridization schemes to determine the stability of the transgene after sexual hybridization. There was no observed parent of origin effect on transgene expression; however, a highly significant, non-mendelian inheritance of the Cry3Aa transgene was seen in the maternally inherited transgene of one set of progeny from a reciprocal cross. Additional transgenic lines of potato were developed with a PVY-O coat protein transgene. These plants were challenged with PVY-O and monitored for symptoms visually and for virus serologically. One transgenic line exhibited complete resistance to PVY-O while two others showed a delay in symptom occurrence. Further examination of the expression levels of the PVY-O coat protein transgene will be necessary to determine the type and usefulness of the observed resistance.

Architectural treatment of sacred and non-sacred space is the primary focus of this thesis. The sacred space is enclosed by a cylinder making known the presence of center. A cube endures the non-sacred space that exists outside the sanctuary. Corbelling reveals the thickness of the threshold that simultaneously separates the two types of spaces and geometries. The secondary objective of this inquiry is a harmonious balance between light, material, and shape. The project is a structure, in Clover Hollow of Giles County Virginia, that will be used for worship, meditation, and social functions for the community of Newport.

A survey of the Virginia Agribusiness Council members was conducted to identify the basic and technical skills that are important for high school graduates to develop prior to seeking entry-level employment in the agricultural industry. Available entry-level positions were categorized and the mean years of experience at each position identified. Skills were ranked in order of decreasing importance based on mean scores of the survey respondents. Overall, basic skills ranked higher than technical skills. The top five skills in order of importance were: a positive work attitude, self-motivation, the ability to follow directions, safe equipment operation, and working without supervision. Data were analyzed by firm category as utilized by the Virginia Agribusiness Council. Contrary to the skill ranking of the other firm categories, the producer category ranked the ability to follow directions as the most important skill. The entry-level positions identified could be classified into the following categories: management, laborer, skilled operator, sales, and clerk/office employee. The most frequent entry-level jobs identified were in the laborer and management training classifications. The mean years of work experience for all positions, across all categories, was seven years. Basic and technical skills are both essential elements for high school graduates seeking entry-level employment in agriculture. Neither area should be emphasized over the other in preparation for work at the high school level. A firm foundation of basic and technical skills needed in the agricultural industry is recommended for students’ successful transition from school to work.

If the theories of Piaget (stages of cognitive development) and Bruner (anything can be taught to anyone as long as it is taught in their language) are combined and applied to an elementary school the resulting conclusion is very quickly hands-on learning. Or, more simply, elementary-aged children understand their world through tangible experiences, so teach them through tangible experiences. A child's early memory code is formed by concrete experiences (combinations of the 5 senses), but these experiences become the building blocks for their later abstract cognitive thought patterns. This theory of education is widely applied from the standpoint of teach (hands on lessons, manipulative, etc.), but is a low if not nonexistent priority in constructing the environments in our schools. The experiential aspects of our schools should not only provide for a purely more pleasing environment, but should also allow for strong behavioral imprinting experiences that would result in memory niches -- the foundation for later abstract cognitive thought patterns. This diagram shows the progression of memory coding through these stages and how the resulting thoughts would be accessed.

The design of existing beaded adsorbent materials for column-mode protein purification has emphasized the impact of diffusional transport phenomena upon adsorbent capacity. A design model is presented that optimizes molecular accessibility of proteins relative to the mechanical stability of the material by manipulation of size and solids content for uncross-linked cellulose beads. Cellulose beads of various sizes ranging from about 250 to 1000 pm diameter and having different solids contents were evaluated. Cellulose beads (1.2 mm diameter) gave pressure drops of less than 1 psi per cm of bed at superficial fluid velocities of 100 cm/min in a 1 5 cm bed. Solids content of greater than about 9% cellulose greatly reduced the permeability of large proteins such as thyroglobulin and p-Amylase into the beaded matrix at bead contacting times of 5 and 50 seconds. The amount of permeation in 3% cellulose beads by thyroglobulin at bead contacting times of 5 seconds was about tenfold larger than predicted by diffusion models using the diffusivity of the protein in water. The utility of a low solids content, large bead cellulose support was shown with immobilized IgG (Mr 155 kDa) capturing recombinant human Protein C (M, 62 kDa). The amount of immobilized antibody was varied and immunosorptive capacity of 1 mm cellulose beads was found to be equivalent to that of 0.1 mm cross~linked agarose beads. The immobilization of antibodies to these supports was studied by photomicroscopy of cross-sectioned beads containing immobilized fluorescent labeled antibodies. While 75% of the antibody was immobilized within 0.07 mm of the cellulose bead surface at an antibody density of 1 mg antibody per ml of beads, an appreciable amounts of antibody immobilized deeper into the bead may have been utilized in order to yield capacities equivalent to the smaller agarose beads. The beaded cellulose supports derivatized to form either immunoaffinity or anion exchange matrices exhibited very low non-specific binding. Thus, the particle size, solids content, and extent of derivatization of cellulose matrices can be engineered so as to create matrices that provide high flow rates with low pressure drops while also having desirable adsorptive capacity for proteins.

Parametric design models were created to optimize cable sensitivities in a structural health-monitoring system. Experiments were also conducted to determine the sensitivity of a working system. The system consists of time domain reflectometry (TDR) signal processing equipment and specially designed sensing cables. The TDR equipment sends a high-frequency electric pulse (in the gigahertz range) along the sensing cable. Any change in electric impedance along the cable reflects some portion of the electric pulse back to the TDR equipment. The time delay, amplitude, and shape of the reflected pulse provides the means to respectively locate, determine the magnitude, and indicate the nature of the change in impedance. The change in the sensing cable impedance may be caused by cable elongation (change in resistance), shear deformation (change in capacitance), corrosion of the cable or the materials around the cable (change in inductance), etc. The sensing cables are an essential part of the health-monitoring system because the cable design parameters determine the cable impedance sensitivity to structural changes. By using parametric design models, the optimum cable parameters can be determined for specific cases and used to select or design an appropriate cable. Proof-of-concept and resolution experiments were also conducted to provide, respectively, verification and sensitivity of the system.

The use of a microbubble dispersion (MBD) for oxygen transport in a yeast fermentation was studied. No surfactants were added to the fermentations; the microbubbles were formed using only the surfactants naturally produced by the yeast. The growth rate of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture was found to be almost twice as great for a microbubble dispersion sparged fermentation, as for a gas sparged fermentation when equivalent volumes of air or microbubble dispersion were used. The growth rate of the MBD sparged fermentation was 0.108/hr, as opposed to 0.068/hr for the air sparged fermentation. Oxygen transfer rates were measured by the yield coefficient, dynamic, and direct methods. The oxygen transfer coefficient was found to be approximately 190/hr and independent of the fermenter impeller speed, over the range of 100 - 580 RPM, for the micro bubble dispersion fermentation. Over the same range, the oxygen transfer coefficient for the air sparged fermentation rose from 55 to 132/hr. The power requirements for the fermenter systems were estimated. It was determined that a five fold reduction in the fermenter to MBD generator volume ratio could be made.

An experimental investigation was conducted to develop a laboratory technique for the nondestructive evaluation of reinforced concrete. The methodologies were developed with the intent of eventual field implementation to determine the feasibility of utilizing infrared thermography to inspect substructural elements of concrete bridges. Several specimen configurations were fabricated for thermographic inspection. A number of tests were performed on a variety of concrete specimens to determine the implementation parameters of the technique. The necessity of utilizing artificial heating methods for thermal input prior to inspection was evaluated. The present study suggests that infrared thermography cannot be applied to substructural elements of bridges in a noncontact fashion. Internal thermal gradients produced by diurnal temperature fluctuation generally are not sufficient to produce the variations in surface temperature patterns necessary for thermographically detecting nonvisual subsurface defects. Rather, both the envelopment and artificial heating of the substructural element is required prior to thermographic inspection.

This work describes the first telemetry powered implantable microsystem to be fully integrated onto a single chip. This system is an 8-channel programmable neuromuscular stimulator for use with peripheral nerve electrodes. This implant receives all power and data through inductive coupling with an integrated, on-chip coil. Therefore, it requires no batteries or transcutaneous leads. Because it is fully integrated, this is one of the smallest wireless implantable stimulators ever developed. The system's stimulating output is a biphasic current waveform with a programmable interphase delay. Each phase has a 5-bit programmable amplitude of up to 2 mA, and a 10-bit programmable duration of up to 2 ms. The system is capable of stimulation frequencies of over 150 Hz. Full scale stimulation can be obtained through loads of up to 1.7 k$\Omega.$ The system is powered by a 4 MHz carrier, and data is sent by pulse width encoded amplitude modulation. The system's integrated circuitry is Bi-CMOS, contains 3,100 transistors, and measures 2.0 mm by 8.7 mm. It includes an RF receiver, a 4 Volt DC supply generator, a 500 kHz clock generator, data detection circuitry, finite state machine controlled logic, a 5-bit DAC output current source, and low resistance output switches. This circuitry was fabricated, tested, and is fully functional. It consumes 14.8 mW from the 4 Volt supply during full scale 2 mA stimulation. Integrated on-chip coils optimized for inductive powering were developed as part of this work. These coils have electroplated copper windings, electroplated NiFe core, planar spiral design, and are CMOS compatible. Six different coil structures were fabricated, tested, and compared. A 2 by 10 mm, seventeen turn version of the best coil structure has an inductance of 2.9 $\mu$H and receives over 20 mW DC at a distance of up to 3 cm from a 8-cm diameter planar transmitter coil. An analytical model for inductive powering using on-chip coils has been developed, and the design of the on-chip coils was optimized using this model. General design guidelines for on-chip coils have been devised which, together with the analytical model, can be used to quickly implement on-chip coils for inductively powering many different microsystems.

The decade of the 1850s saw the Texas press separate into two opposing groups on the issue of filibustering. The basis for this division was the personal beliefs of the editors regarding the role filibustering should have in society. Although a lust for wealth drove most filibusters, the press justified territorial expansion along altruistic lines. By 1858, however, a few newspapers discarded this argument and condemned filibusters as lawless bands of ruffians plundering peaceful neighbors. Throughout the decade, the papers gradually drifted from a consensus in 1850 to discord by the date of William Walker's third attempt on Nicaragua in 1858.

Optimal debt levels of farming/ranching operations are as varied as the� operations themselves. The utility of the operators, which can not be measured cardinally, determines the amount of risk and thus the amount of debt one is willing and able to carry. Farmers/ranchers strive to become larger to capture the internalities and externalities of the larger operation. Borrowed capital helps greatly in this endeavor but too much debt can easily lead to insolvency due to high interest and principle obligations and reduced capital liquidity. This paper hopes to show the risk-return relationship of borrowed capital under various scenarios and that the type of debt incurred will affect the amount of leverage carried.

Realistic laboratory simulation of a system's field vibration environment has been of major concern to design and test engineers for many years. The usual practice of basing vibration design and test specifications on an envelope of the equipment base acceleration levels experienced in the field environment has often resulted in excessive levels of overtesting. This results from the large differences between the mechanical impedance of the vehicle structure and that of a fully equalized vibration shaker. Mechanical impedance effects occur naturally in a field environment. Including such effects in a laboratory vibration environment achieves more realistic conditions of similitude. A possible solution to the problem is the generation of design and test specifications that are based on the knowledge of both the acceleration and the forces transmitted to the equipment in the field environment. This research points out the detrimental effects which result when impedance effects are not considered in relating test requirements with field measurements. The ways in which these effects can be considered are evaluated, and comparison of three impedance methods is accomplished based on a cumulative damage criterion. A test structure is used to simulate an equipment and support foundation system. Detailed finite element analysis is performed to aid in computation of cumulative damage totals. The results indicate that mechanical impedance methods can be effectively used to reproduce the field vibration environment in a laboratory test. The establishment of a well developed finite element computer model coupled with laboratory impedance measurements can eliminate the overtesting problems inherent with constant motion, infinite impedance testing.