All-aluminum microchannel heat exchangers are designed to significantly reduce refrigerant charge requirements, weight, reduced brazed joints, and decreased potential for leakage by increasing reliability. Al 3003 alloy is corrosion resistant and can be formed, welded, and brazed but the issue with all-aluminum heat exchangers is localized corrosion (pitting) in corrosive environments. Currently, there is no universally accepted corrosion test that all coil manufacturers use to characterize their products. Electrochemical testing method of cyclic polarization was employed in this investigation and relevant parameters including electrolyte corrosive agent and its concentration, electrolyte pH, and applied potential scan rate was varied to find an optimal set of parameters. Results of cyclic polarization of Al 3003 in electrolytes containing various concentrations of NaCl were compared with those of the tests in Sea Water Acidified Accelerated Test (SWAAT) electrolyte and it is shown the SWAAT electrolyte (4.2% sea salt acidified to pH of 2.9) is by far stronger (in terms of corrosivity) than typical 3.5% NaCl solution used in most corrosion testing. Corrosion rates (g/m2yr) of Al 3003 measured in this investigation were comparable to those provided by ISO 9223 standard corresponding to C1 through CX categories. Duration of cyclic polarization test is much shorter than that of SWAAT and results obtained in this test is more reproducible compared to those of SWAAT. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs show typical pit depths of about 50 μm.

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

Hypertension, a risk factor for aortic valve stenosis, increases transvalvular load and can elicit extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Elevated cyclic pressure and the vasoactive agent angiotensin II (Ang II) both promote collagen synthesis, an early hallmark of aortic sclerosis. It was hypothesized that increased collagen production induced by elevated pressure conditions or the presence of Ang II would affect the mechanical properties of leaflet tissue by decreasing extensibility. Porcine aortic valve leaflets were exposed to pressure conditions of increasing magnitude with and without Ang II. Biaxial mechanical testing was performed to determine peak stretch. Collagen content was determined using a quantitative dye-binding method. The results demonstrated Ang II and elevated pressure decrease the extensibility of leaflet tissue and increase the collagen content in the ECM. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that both elevated pressure and Ang II play a role in altering the biomechanical properties of aortic valve leaflets.

Electrochemical behavior of mono- and bimetallic chromiumtricarbonyl and cationic manganesetricarbonyl of fluxional dibenzo[a,e]cyclooctatetraene (DBCOT) complexes were studied via cyclic voltammetry over a range of scan rates (20 – 2000 mV/s) and temperatures (0 °C and 25 °C). The presented work displays electrochemical reduction mechanisms associated with eight-membered ring coordinated M(CO)3 systems that undergo rapid ring inversion in solution. The electrochemical studies of these complex systems exhibit comparitively similar behaviors, which suggest relatively undifferentiated mechanisms. Slight differences between the chromium and isoelectronic cationic manganese are seen in their chemical reactions in solution and the potential at which they reduce. The significance of the electrochemical studies of these complexes are justified by their potential contribution to nanotechnology considering the possibility of generating a cylindrical nanostructure containing the tub-shaped eight-membered ring ð-coordinated M(CO)3 system. The high probability of a haptotropic shift to the eight-membered ring upon reduction could prove to be beneficial to electrocatalysis.

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Food security is the ability to obtain enough nutritionally adequate food at all times. In 2011, 14.9% of U.S. households were food insecure. Food insecure populations have increased risk of chronic diseases and micronutrient deficiencies. Cyclical resource attainment may lead to inconsistent energy intakes, while resource management skills like budgeting may counter this. Qualitative research is limited on food preferences, what is purchased during resource constraint and how they compare with dietary recommendations. This study describes food choices and coping strategies that low-income, food insecure households use to obtain foods when resources are constrained. Four sets of two focus groups recruited SNAP participants and eligibles from Massachusetts (total participants=22) to discuss (1) food choices and planning and (2) purchasing strategies utilized. Content analysis was used to describe “favorite/important”, “healthy” and “unhealthy” foods, foods purchased, coping strategies, and to compare responses with USDA food groups. Participants were classified as cyclic (evidence of uneven monthly food purchases) or constant spenders (evidence of constant monthly food purchases). Reported coping strategies and food purchases were compared between cyclic and constant spenders. Protein/meat, grains, and vegetables were top “favorite/important” choices. Top “healthy” food designations were vegetables, proteins and grains, which closely mirrored USDA recommendations. Four self-described “unhealthy” food categories emerged: fast/take-out; “processed”; solid-fat home foods; sugar-laden desserts/beverages. Fourteen participants were classified as “cyclic”, while seven participants as “constant”. Cyclic spenders utilized coping strategies similarly described to obtain “enough” food and exhibited unsustainable practices as depriving self for others. Constant spenders closely matched resource management strategies utilized to obtain the “kinds” of foods desired, like budgeting. While other food purchases were similar, cyclic spenders reported not purchasing fruit and vegetables in times of constrained resources. This study provides needed qualitative information on how low-income individuals describe important, healthy and unhealthy foods and what is purchased in times of resource constraints. These findings support previous research showing cyclical resource attainment can lead to nutritional risks, while financial management skills can increase food security through constant access to foods. The results highlight the need for resource management education and stress specific areas of nutrition education.

No description available.

Celogentin C and theonellamide F are a class of natural products that have potential antimitotic behavior. They both contain interesting bicyclic structures with unusual linkages within a central moiety. Celogentin C's highly functionalized tryptophan moiety has two unusual linkages, a β-substituted Leu connection to the C6 of the indole structure that makes up the left-hand ring, and a τ-N connection of the imidazole to the C2 of the indole constructing the right-hand ring. This right-hand ring connection was solved via a novel oxidative coupling procedure developed in our group and the left-hand ring was initially constructed via a radical conjugated addition of an isopropyl group. Due to stereoselective concerns, our group explored hydrogen bond donors as potential catalyst candidates. Unfortunately, there were challenges in limiting the background reaction and obtaining reproducible results. We then designed an alternative route to solve this left-hand ring connection which would have utilized MacMillan asymmetric hydrogenation and α-chlorination procedures. Further work towards a second generation synthesis of the β-Leu-(C6)Trp connection was halted with the publication of two formal syntheses of celogentin C. Theonellamide F contains a τ-L-histidino-D-alanine (τ-HAL) bridging unit that separates the left-and right-hand rings. Previous efforts in the synthesis of this natural product were hindered due to an inefficient regioselective synthesis of τ-HAL. Our proposed synthesis of τ-HAL began with commercially available L- and D-Ser methyl esters which were then chemically transformed and coupled to one another to create a bis-amino subunit. Further preparations afforded us with an important cyclic intermediate which should readily lead to the first regioselective synthesis of a τ-HAL.

Cyclic di-GMP is a second messenger used by bacteria to regulate motility, extracellular polysaccharide production, and the cell cycle. Recent advances in the measurement of real time cyclic di-GMP levels in single cells have uncovered significant dynamic heterogeneity of second messenger concentrations within bacterial populations. This heterogeneity results in a wide range of phenotypic outcomes within a single population, providing the potential for population survival and adaptability in response to rapidly changing environments. In this chapter, we discuss some of the measurement technologies available for single-cell measurement of cyclic di-GMP concentrations, the resulting discovery of heterogeneous cyclic di-GMP populations, the mechanisms bacteria use to generate this heterogeneity, and the biochemical and functional consequences of heterogeneity on cyclic di-GMP effector binding and the bacterial population.