Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have attracted the attention of researchers particularly in the photo-absorption field. These materials rival traditional semiconductors with their cost-effective ease of synthesis, tunable bandgaps, and excellent photophysical properties. Single-junction MHP solar cells have rivaled current silicon-based photovoltaic devices, boasting a 25.2% light absorption conversion. Recently, MHPs have proven to be effective in x-ray detection. In this paper an investigation of three titanium-based MHPs was conducted. The goal of this research was to characterize the MHPs and determine if they are feasible materials to incorporate in x-ray detectors. After completing the research, two MHP species, FA2TiI6 and MA3TiCl7, were able to be synthesized and characterized. Their crystal systems were determined to be tetragonal with a P4/mmm space group. However, due to equipment limitations, their feasibility in x-ray detectors could not be determined.

Small-molecule drugs arise as a prospective area to treat different types of cancer. A promising target is the NSD protein family. These proteins have been related to cancers like myeloid leukemia, multiple myeloma, prostate, lung, and breast cancer. However, their treatment is limited to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical operation that could affect the patient's life quality. In 2020, Huang and collaborators developed a novel kind of inhibitor for NSD1 protein, BT5. This inhibitor covalently binds to the SET domain of the NSD family proteins. However, there is a high affinity for NSD1 than their counterparts. These proteins share a similar structure, but their dynamics could explain the affinity difference. In this project, we compare the NSD family protein dynamics by measuring NMR relaxation experiments. We identify a higher percentage binding for NSD1 and NSD3 to BT5 than NSD2. We also determine the perturbed chemical shifts under the presence of BT5 in NSD1, where the most affected regions are the SET and post-SET domain (auto-inhibitory loop) and the beginning region of the AWS domain. By comparing different NMR relaxation measurements, we identify that the three proteins share high dynamics in the auto-inhibitory loop region, especially in NSD1, and in the AWS domain for NSD1 and NSD3. These motions corresponds to the obtained results by adding BT5 in NSD1, which could indicated a relationship between the AWS dynamics and the auto-inhibitory loop, and the protein affinity.

The developing brain is sensitive to chemical exposures, however, currently there is a lack of good, regulatory accepted methods to study developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). The cell line C17.2 can be used as a model for DNT studies since it has the capacity to differentiate into neuronal and neuroglial populations. However, in a recent experiment, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) indicated that the cell line might contain a good proportion of fibroblasts. The aim of this project was to complement the scRNAseq with staining for protein markers for specific cell types in order to elucidate the cellular composition of differentiated and undifferentiated C17.2 cultures. The markers Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility Receptor (HMMR), vimentin and Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor A (PDGFRA) were identified as promising markers for radial glial cells (RGC) and subsequently fibroblast and validated by immunofluorescence. HMMR by itself was used as a marker for RGC and was, as expected, decreasing during the differentiation process. Co-localization of vimentin and PDGFRA was used as markers for fibroblast. However, the conditions for the PDGFRA-antibody could not be optimized due to time restraints. Thus no specific staining could be obtained and no conclusions could be drawn regarding the presence or absence of fibroblasts in the culture. The results emphasize the need for more optimisation or the selection of more specific markers, e.g. Collagen type I alpha 1 (Col1a1). Further, these findings highlight the complexity of the cellular composition and the need for other methods to characterize C17.2.

In this work, a steady-state, one-dimensional model was developed for the cathode side of the PEM fuel cell. The model results compared well with available literature results. The effects of operating temperature, cathode gas pressure, cathode gas porosity, and membrane thickness were studied. Carbon materials used for the gas diffusion layer (GDL) were characterized. The materials were: untreated and Teflon-treated carbon paper and untreated and Teflon-treated carbon cloth. Physisorption data were analyzed using the BET and the BJH methods to determine surface area and pore size distribution. Capillary flow porometry measurements provided the bubble point, mean flow, and smallest pore diameters and pore size distribution. Gas permeability measurements were performed. Mercury/non-mercury intrusion porosimetry measurements were performed to obtain pore size distribution and cumulative pore volume. The microstructure structure of the materials was examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy. The elemental composition of the samples was measured using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy.

To produce crack free powder compacts with desirable mechanical properties and uniform densities, a predictive finite element simulation of the powder metallurgy process is necessary (compaction and sintering). The finite element method, through the use of appropriate constitutive material models captures the microstructure-property history after compaction and sintering. A FC-0205 cylinder and FC-0208 automotive main bearing cap were compacted to investigate the microstructure changes at different locations within the parts. Measurements of the pore volume fraction, pore size, pore nearest neighbor, pore aspect ratio, and grain size were performed after compaction for the cylinder after compaction and after compaction and sintering for the MBC. An image analysis methodology was created to measure density in the main bearing cap, and to validate future model results. A comparison between the image analysis and the Archimedes immersion methods demonstrated the reliability of the methods.

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