The focus of this research is to combine both computational as well as experimental methods to study the non-covalent interaction between a selected set of proteins with small molecules. Experimentally, a mass spectrometric technique, recently known as electrospray mass spectrometry together with the computational aspect of this research, in the area of molecular modeling and quantum mechanics would be exercised.Due to the soft ionization nature of this process, electrospray (ES) mass spectrometry (MS) has been employed to study a broad class of large proteins and their non-covalent interaction with small structures, making it possible for the mass of these complexes to _be determined with an error of less than 0.1%. For this research, a set of proteins known as histones and a class of structures known as crown ethers were chosen. The ES technique allows the proteins to be prepared in an acidic medium that protonates the basic amino acids that have been exposed by the solvent. This process leaves the protein with a lot of positive charges thereby making the analysis with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer, Extrel ELQ 400 possible. The non-covalent complexation between the histones and the crown ethers is stabilized by hydrogen bonding therefore the positive charges of the protein remain unchanged. This bonding is made possible by the ability of crown ethers to bind ammonium ion or protonated amino groups. The mass of the protein which is divided by the number of its positive charges can be determined by a new kind of linear plot constructed from the ES data. The ion currents from the electrospray ionization technique is a representation of the non-covalent complexation of the histones and the crown ethers which can be observed in the mass spectra. Other information such as, the binding constants, can be obtained from the mass spectra. / Department of Chemistry

Accurate estimates of tree and forest biomass are essential for a wide range of applications. Automated treetop detection and tree crown discrimination using LiDAR data can greatly facilitate forest biomass estimation. Previous work has focused on homogenous or single-species forests, while few studies have focused on mixed forests. In this study, a new method for treetop detection is proposed in which the treetop is the cluster center of selected points rather than the highest point. Based on treetop detection, tree crowns are discriminated through comparison of three-dimensional shape signatures. The methods are first tested using simulated LiDAR point clouds for trees, and then applied to real LiDAR data from the Soquel Demonstration State Forest, California, USA. Results from both simulated and real LiDAR data show that the proposed method has great potential for effective detection of treetops and discrimination of tree crowns.

by Roger Chun Wang Liu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-108). / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.i / CONTENTS --- p.ii / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.v / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vi / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vii / Chapter I. --- THE CHEMISTRY OF METALLO-PHTHALOCYANINES AND -NAPHTHALOCYANINES --- p.1 / ABSTRACT --- p.2 / Chapter 1. --- SANDWICH-LIKE BIS(PHTHALOCYANINATO)LANTHANIDE COMPLEXES / Chapter 1.1. --- Introduction --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2. --- Preparation of Substituted Phthalonitriles --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3. --- Condensation of Phthalonitrile --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4. --- Condensation of Substituted Phthalonitriles --- p.10 / Chapter 1.5. --- Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Properties --- p.12 / Chapter 1.6. --- Conclusion --- p.21 / Chapter 2. --- "SUBSTITUTED 2,3-NAPHTHALOCYANINES" / Chapter 2.1. --- Introduction --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2. --- Preparation of Alkyl-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.26 / Chapter 2.3. --- Preparation of Halo-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.30 / Chapter 2.4. --- Condensation of Alkyl-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.30 / Chapter 2.5. --- Condensation of Halo-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.35 / Chapter 2.6. --- Conclusion --- p.38 / Chapter 3. --- EXPERIMENTAL SECTION / Chapter 3.1. --- General Directions --- p.39 / Chapter 3.2. --- Preparation of Substituted Phthalonitriles --- p.40 / Chapter 3.3. --- Condensation of Phthalonitrile --- p.43 / Chapter 3.4. --- Condensation of Substituted Phthalonitriles --- p.44 / Chapter 3.5. --- Preparation of Alkyl-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.46 / Chapter 3.6. --- Preparation of Halo-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.49 / Chapter 3.7. --- Condensation of Alkyl-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.51 / Chapter 3.8. --- Condensation of Halo-Substituted Dicyanonaphthalenes --- p.52 / Chapter II. --- "SYNTHETIC STUDIES OF MIXED AZA-, OXA-, AND THIA-CROWN ETHERS" --- p.55 / ABSTRACT --- p.56 / Chapter 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.57 / Chapter 2. --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION --- p.64 / Chapter 2.1. --- Preparation of Diols and Dithiols --- p.64 / Chapter 2.2. --- Preparation of Ditosylates --- p.66 / Chapter 2.3. --- 1:1 Cyclization -- Preparation of Monoaza- 15-crown-5 --- p.68 / Chapter 2.4. --- Crystal Structure of N-(4-methoxyphenyl) benzomonoaza-15- crown-5 (112) --- p.76 / Chapter 2.5. --- Complexation of Monoaza-15-crown-5 --- p.79 / Chapter 2.6. --- Conclusion --- p.80 / Chapter 3. --- MISCELLANEOUS SYNTHESES --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1. --- Preparation of Tetrabromodibenzo-24-crown-8 --- p.81 / Chapter 3.2. --- Complexation of Tetrabromodibenzo-24-crown-8 --- p.82 / Chapter 4. --- EXPERIMENTAL SECTION --- p.84 / Chapter 4.1. --- General Directions --- p.84 / Chapter 4.2. --- Preparation of Diols and Dithiols --- p.84 / Chapter 4.3. --- Preparation of Ditosylates --- p.88 / Chapter 4.4. --- 1:1 Cyclization -- Preparation of Monoaza- 15-crown-5 --- p.89 / Chapter 4.5. --- Complexation of Monoaza-15-crown-5 --- p.94 / Chapter 4.6. --- Preparation of Tetrabromodibenzo-24-crown-8 --- p.95 / Chapter 4.7. --- Complexation of Tetrabromodibenzo-24-crown-8 --- p.97 / REFERENCES AND NOTES --- p.98 / APPENDIX --- p.109

Introduction: The purposes of this study were several. The first was to establish a mean value for the crown-to-root angle, or collum angle (CA), for maxillary central incisors in Class I normal occlusions. The second was to create a new crown-to-root angle based on anatomic points, the labial crown-root angle (LCRA), and correlate it with the CA for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions. Third, torque values were measured for maxillary central incisors using these anatomic points, and mean values were calculated for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions. Finally, mean values for CA and LCRA were analyzed for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions to detect differences between the two groups. Methods: 51 Class I normal samples and 42 Class II division 2 samples who met the inclusion criteria were studied cephalometrically. Relevant landmarks were placed, analyzed for reliability, and recorded for the measurements of interest. Results: The mean CA for Class I normal occlusions was not statistically different from zero (p= .0657). A strong increasing correlation between CA and LCRA was found for all samples (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.88, p < .0001). Mean torque values for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions were statistically different (3.95±10.85 degrees vs. 12.54±5.82 degrees, p < .0001). The mean CA for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions were statistically different (4.29±5.77 degrees vs. 1.78±3.94 degrees, p = .0178). The mean LCRA for Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions were statistically different (31.60±4.24 degrees vs. 34.84±5.95 degrees, p = .00037). Conclusions: The mean CA in Class I normal occlusions is not statistically different from zero degrees. The LCRA is strongly correlated with the CA in both Class I normal occlusions and Class II division 2 malocclusions. The mean maxillary central incisor torque values for Class I normal occlusions is similar to that found in bracket prescriptions currently offered. Patients with Class II division 2 malocclusion exhibit statistically higher mean CA and LCRA values than patients with Class I ideal occlusion.

Copy of author's previously published work inserted. Bibliography: leaves 114-136. The study concentrates on: investigation of the biological properties and role of agrocin 434 and other factors in the bicontrol process of crown gall disease; isolation of the complete range of K84 derivatives carrying different combinations of plasmids pAgK84, pAgK434 and pAtK84b in the same host background; development of a rapid plant bioassay to assess the efficacy of biocontrol strains by leaf disc tumorigenesis assay; and characterization of agrocin 434 synthesis and immunity genes.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1983. / Vita. Bibliography: leaves [118]-133.

Fluorescent labeling of biological materials using small organic dyes is widely employed in the life sciences and have been used in a variety of applications that include diagnostics and imaging. Quantum dots have the potential to overcome problems encountered by organic molecules and have been exploited for applications in biological imaging and in single particle tracking studies. The dithiolane ring can be exploited to attach a diversity of organic compounds to CdSe–ZnS core–shell nanoparticles. The introduction of spectroscopic labels as trans-azobenzene chromophores offers the opportunity to quantify the average number of dithiolane anchoring groups attached to each quantum dot. The transition from monomeric ligands with a single dithiolane anchor to polymeric ligands with multiple dithiolane anchoring groups can be exploited to raise the number of chromophoric labels adsorbed on each quantum dot. Systems showing FRET have been developed on the basis of supramolecular association of BODIPY based dyes or quantum dots as donors and organic chromophores as acceptors. Amino - terminated dyes and quantum dots associate with the chromophores through an ammonium moiety on addition of acid, thereby bringing them closer. Addition of base increases back the fluorescence intensity of the donor completely because of the dissociation. However a similar system with quantum dots as donor, show a very small restoration of fluorescence possibly due to non-specific interaction. In the next project, introduction of spectroscopic labels, in the form of BODIPY dye within the ligands offered the opportunity to quantify the average number of dithiolane anchoring groups attached to each quantum dot. Both fluorescence resonance energy transfer and electron transfer mechanisms are responsible for the quenching of quantum dot fluorescence and unfortunately does not make the system suitable for pH sensing. In the final project, BODIPY-oxazine based fluorophore – photochrome dyad has been assembled by a connecting triazole ring, such that the emission of the former can be modulated by the electronic and structural changes caused by the photoinduced transformations of the later. Further experiments need to be conducted on the fluorophore – photochrome dyads to switch the luminescence of the former with optical inputs.

This work is an interdisciplinary exploration of negotiations between the nations that make up Canada. It explores the disparity that remains between Aboriginals and non Aboriginals in Canadian North America at a systemic level. It will show that the postcolonial era is rampant with colonial doctrine and that these principles and policies maintain a dogmatic system that can not allow for the continued existence of Aboriginals as separate and distinct peoples. I will show my understanding and interpretation of an old Indigenous system and suggest ways in which aspects of this ancient system may be valuable in creating a coordination of world views that can allow for both factions to exist and prosper. I will specifically address how the differing world views that exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians—and the inequality between these two groups of peoples—has been and remains infused in the negotiation process that these governments attempt to complete. The final aspect of this work will be a theatrical production piece that allows (in some small way) the traditional Indigenous approach to ‘law’ to be given equal weight as the Supreme Court in Delgamuukw suggests.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-222).

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