The human brain is an extraordinarily complex organ. The process of neurotransmission gives rise to sensory experience, cognition, and decision-making. Many common diseases of the brain are incurable and their symptoms are poorly treated. To better understand the underlying molecular problems in disease states, sensitive, selective, and rapid measurements of biomolecules are needed. Given the complexity of making biological measurements in vitro or in vivo, inquiring scientists must choose measurement tools wisely. While traditional electrode materials have been used to great success, conducting polymers such as PEDOT are an excellent way to modify or improve existing measurement tools. The chemical, spatial, and temporal resolution of in vivo and in vitro measurements can be improved, all while increasing the longevity of the sensor. Compared to existing electrode materials, PEDOT is amenable to a larger variety of substrates, easier to process, inexpensive, and has excellent electrochemical behavior for the detection of neurotransmitters. We have demonstrated the utility of PEDOT by fabricating and characterizing the first device for the separation of biogenic amines, and the first device for high-throughput measurements of exocytosis from single PC12 cells. These devices will allow scientists to inexpensively and rapidly study the effects of pharmacological challenges to model systems in disease states. A PEDOT and Nafion composite polymer coating has been developed for microelectrodes, granting increased sensitivity and selectivity towards dopamine. These improvements resulted in the first in vivo electrochemical measurements of dopamine transients without administration of a reuptake inhibitor. Lastly, we have expanded the chemistry of polythiophenes by developing the synthesis of oligo-EDOT:Nafion nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are easily prepared, inexpensive, and enable quantiative spectroscopic interrogations of water content in organic solvents.

In this thesis I investigated how four student conductors made musical meaning from their scores in rehearsals with their peers and the mediating role that verbal language played in that process. Rosenblatt's (1978, 1994) transactional theory of the literary work provided a framework for conceptualizing the performed musical work as a musical event. Halliday's (1975, 1978, 1985) social theory of language use, particularly his notion of 'register' served as the framework for interpreting the intended meanings of conductors' utterances during rehearsals, and for understanding the dialogic nature of language use. Vygotsky's (1962, 1978) socio-psychological theory of the interdependence of thought and language framed my interpretation of the kinds of learning that might take place when student conductors use verbal language to shape performances of musical works. / I transcribed 12 videotaped practica, analyzed the transcripts, and interpreted the function and focus of the student conductors' utterances. The findings revealed that the students selected formal and expressive elements for attention, that they used proposals and appraisals to shape these elements in a variety of rehearsal contexts, that they used verbal language to explain, explore, and clarify their musical thinking within and beyond rehearsals. / I concluded that the student conductors built up the sense of the musical work with the players by selectively attending to the musical elements they deemed to be musically valuable, and that their verbal language served a mediating function for them both as shapers and as learners of musical ideas. Although there were qualitative differences how they engaged with their scores, and in their use of verbal language, the processes by which they engaged in construction and comprehension of musical meanings were the same and their verbal language played the same role. / The study led to the postulatation of three socially situated theoretical constructs that are relevant to a general theory of music teaching and learning: a construct of a transactional theory of the musical work, a construct of a 'rehearsal register' and a construct of the interconnectedness of verbal language and the formation of musical concepts and musical knowledge.

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There is an increasing interest in exploring the use of conductive polymers for protecting metals from corrosion. The corrosion resistance of steel coated with the conductive polymer polypheneylenevinylene (PPV) is studied. The corrodant used is deaerated 1% w/w NaCl(aq). / The PPV coating is deposited by a homemade spinning coater. The effect of substrate microstructure and surface treatment on PPV coating morphology is investigated. The morphology and surface roughness of the coating are measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The PPV coating thickness and substrate surface roughness are measured by profilometer. / Open Circuit Potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), linear potentiodynamic voltammetry (Tafel) and optical microscopy were used to characterize the structure and properties of the coatings. The correlation between the coating thickness, the surface treatment of the steel substrate prior to coating, and the corrosion behaviour of PPV coated steel was investigated. / Under the condition of our studies, the level of pH in the solution used for corrosion testing has the strongest effect on the corrosion behaviour of PPV coated steel.

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During the past two years (1974-76) the writer has become increasingly aware of the need for a method of assisting conductors with the score preparation of "new" band literature. Because this literature often represents the modern composer's efforts to explore non-traditional compositional techniques, the development of a new or at least expanded approach to analysis, aimed directly at the conductor's task of preparing a score for rehearsal (and performance) seems to be in order.Most recent approaches to analysis have been developed by theorists whose microscopic examination of music, sometimes complicated with new terminology, does not necessarily assist the conductor in his efforts to Formulate musical interpretations. Furthermore, the education of most conductors today emphasizes a background heavy with more traditional musical concepts. With these two points firmly in mind, the author has attempted to expand the more traditional concepts of harmony, melody, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and texture, and subsequently incorporate them in the development of an analytical method that specifically serves the conductor's task of score preparation as related to more contemporary band literature.Essential to the process of developing this analytical method was understanding and defining the goal of the conductor in the task of score preparation. To this end, the writer examined the published views of several well-known conductors. All of these authors seemed in agreement: in order to present a musical work, the conductor must have a broad view of the work so as to understand the logic of its progression, from beginning to end. Seemingly then, score preparation should serve to uncover and enhance this broad view. The writer's analytical method assumed this purpose: to assist the conductor in the discovery and development of this broad view. For the purpose of identifying this goal, the writer developed the term "macro-view".In the course of developing his analytical approach, the writer has introduced his concept of melodic rhythm, a term coined to cover the composite temporal (linear) effect caused by relationships among musical elements such as melody, rhythm, dynamics, timbre, and texture. It is for the expressed purpose of enhancing accessibility to the concept of motion and repose in "atonal" band literature to those who are seemingly more familiar with the concept of phrase and cadence associated with more traditional melodies that the author has chosen the term melodic rhythm.In the view of this writer, the primary concern of descriptive analysis is the discovery of melodic rhythm(s), accomplished through a relatively microscopic investigation of the score. The author suggests that the information uncovered in this process be collected in a systematic fashion for later use. To assist in this collection of information the author has developed a "Descriptive Analysis Chart".Chapters III through VI are demonstrations of the author's analytical method and represent a variety of atonal band literature. Included within these chapters are Geometrics No. 4 by Martin Mailman, Study in Textures by Gunther Schuller, Spectrum by Herbert Bielawa, Statement by Brent Heisinger, and Stargazing by Donald Erb. (Composer comments on the analysis presented are included as Appendix C.)The writer's approach to score preparation is founded on his belief that inherent in all music, regardless of style, period, or medium, is the apperception of motion and repose. Furthermore, it is through the auditory sensation of motion and repose that the unity of a piece becomes comprehendable. Upon completing an analysis according to the guide lines presented in this dissertation, the conductor can proceed with the presentation of a unified performance of an "atonal" band work.

The world’s increased energy storage demand, as well as the environmental concerns related to the combustion of fossil fuels, has triggered a transition to intermittent renewable energy sources as well as to electrical and hybrid vehicles. Current day rechargeable batteries are, due to the invention and development of lithium ion batteries, technologically well positioned to answer to some of these demands. Conventional batteries, however, utilize inorganic materials of limited supply that require large amounts of energy during refining and processing. The materials also add a significant cost to the final product, making the rechargeable batteries less attractive for large scale applications. During the last decade, significant efforts have been made to find suitable organic matter based electrode materials that can replace the inorganic materials. One class of organic materials that can be used for electrical energy storage, or be included as components in organic matter based energy storage systems, is conducting polymers. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the possibilities and limitations of using the conducting polymer polypyrrole in energy storage applications. The polymer was synthesized onto cellulose extracted from the Cladophora sp. algae, and the result was a flexible composite material. Symmetrical energy storage devices constructed with the composite material were shown to exhibit a pseudocapacitive behavior. The resistance in the cells was investigated and was found to scale linearly with the separator thickness. Cells could be cycled for 4,000 cycles without significant capacitance loss and cells that were overcharged to 1.8 V cell potential, were found to be protected by a resistive potential drop. Devices were constructed as proof-of-concept and were used to power a remote control and a digital thermometer. The self-discharge in polypyrrole was studied extensively. It was found that oxygen was responsible for the oxidation of the reduced electrode, while the positive electrode self-discharged due to a faradaic reaction. Through spectroscopy and the temperature dependence of the self-discharge, it was suggested that the self-discharge of oxidized polypyrrole is linked to the degradation at high potentials, commonly referred to as overoxidation.

This thesis discusses results on the development of three-dimensional (3D) Ni-based electrocatalytic layers for hydrogen production by water electrolysis in an acidic medium. This is of relevance to the development of polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) hydrogen generators, which are promising hydrogen production systems suitable for both residential and industrial applications. / It was demonstrated that patterning of a glassy carbon electrode substrate with a 3D polyaniline (PANI) matrix is a convenient way of increasing the electrocatalytically active surface area of electrodeposited Ni, and hence its apparent electrocatalytic activity. The optimized PANI/Ni electrocatalyst layer showed a significantly higher activity in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) then a commercially available Ni-plate surface (control surface). / It was also demonstrated that it is possible to produce a Ni-based HER electrocatalyst layer by synthesizing Ni nanoparticles and supporting them on Vulcan carbon. This electrocatalyst also offered a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity in the HER then the control surface, but lower then the optimized PANI/Ni electrocatalyst. / The electrocatalytic activity of the optimized PANI/Ni layer was also compared to the activity of a 3D catalyst produced by electro-coating a porous reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) substrate with Ni. This electrocatalyst showed the highest HER electrocatalytic activity among the investigated layers when tested under potentiodynamic polarization conditions. However, under the potentiostatic conditions, the optimized PANI/Ni layer showed the highest electrocatalytic activity. / The mechanisms and kinetics of the HER on the produced electrocatalysts was also investigated, as well as the electrocatalyst layers' surface morphology and crystalline structure.