A range of titanium dioxide (titania) samples provided by Huntsman Pigments and Additives were investigated for their suitability for use in various optoelectronic devices, specifically dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Five of the titania samples are 1-20 micrometre size spherical 3D porous beads made up of titania nanoparticles and a further six samples are porous titania nanoparticle clusters of no specific shape, all of which possess high surface areas from 85 to 276 m2g-1. The samples were compared to commercially available nanocrystalline TiO2 powders and paste. All of the samples were initially assessed for suitability in DSSC devices by investigating various properties such as crystal phase, particle size, band gap, morphology and N719 dye adsorption, both as a powder sample and as a sintered film, employing techniques such as powder x-ray diffraction, UV/Vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Different methods of formulating the samples into pastes for application to a substrate were attempted and electrochemical properties of a selection of films were also compared. The more promising titania samples were formulated into dye-sensitized solar cells and cell efficiencies calculated. DSSC devices were also fabricated with low temperature (125oC) sintering of the titania layer to assess the suitability of the samples for use in devices with flexible substrates. Initial devices incorporating the Huntsman TiO2 samples provided low efficiencies (< 0.1%). The samples were then modified with pre-sintering treatment prior to paste formulation to optimize crystallinity, particle size, porosity and surface area. The modified titania bead samples showed great promise in low temperature sintered devices, providing device efficiencies of 2.8%, more than double that of those incorporating the standard P25 TiO2 (1.3%). After sample modification a superior solar cell performance (3.2%) was also observed in 510oC sintered devices when compared to the standard P25 TiO2 devices (2.9%), with higher photocurrent and open circuit voltage than devices fabricated from commercially optimized TiO2 paste. Devices were also fabricated using pre-sensitized titania in an attempt to reduce device manufacturing time. The modified samples again showed good performance, providing working devices with efficiencies comparable to the equivalent pre-sensitized P25 devices.

Studies of glacier-hydrology have focused on clean Alpine glaciers, and recently ice sheet outlet glaciers, but there are few studies on debris-covered glaciers. It is known debris affects ablation rates, and that debris-covered glaciers evolve differently to their debris-free counterparts, but how the debris influences the hydrology is poorly understood. This thesis aims to understand the influence of the debris on the hydrological system and water balance of Miage Glacier, Western Italian Alps. The supraglacial hydrology was studied by modelling ablation using a distributed energy balance melt model, and measuring supraglacial stream discharges; the structure and evolution of the englacial and subglacial network was investigated using dye tracing and water chemistry monitoring; and the proglacial runoff was examined through detailed hydrograph analysis. Glacier velocity measurements were used to investigate the debris’ influence on the glacier dynamics. High ablation rates occurred on clean ice and beneath thin debris on the upper glacier, resulting in large supraglacial streams which led into an efficient drainage system. Glacier velocities had a greater magnitude and variability close to the upper glacier moulins. Thick debris on the lower glacier reduced ablation, and consequently the discharge of supraglacial streams and efficiency of the hydrological network. Despite locally inefficient subglacial drainage, glacier velocities on the lower glacier remained subdued, partly because the debris attenuated water inputs. This attenuation reduced the occurrence of high amplitude diurnal cycles in the proglacial runoff and confined them to particularly warm weather. Lag times from peak air temperature to peak runoff were long relative to comparable debris-free glaciers. Evaporation of rainfall from debris-surfaces was high, and dependant on the debris permeability, suggesting this is an important water balance component. Under climate warming, it is predicted the ablation of Miage Glacier will increase, but this may be negated given an increase in debris cover.

Downhill treadmill running is a commonly used method to cause exercise-induced muscle damage, especially in rodents. Previous studies have evaluated which muscles in rats are more prone to damage. However research using downhill run mice (DHR) has shown some inconsistencies in which muscle is best analyzed for damage. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify the damage in various muscles in a mouse after a single bout of DHR. Methods: Male FVB mice (5 months) were injected with Evans Blue dye (EBD) and then either used as control (CON) or run downhill (-16°) at 20 meters per minute (m/min) for 30 minutes. Twenty-four hours after exercise, the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, tibialis anterior (TA), quadriceps, and triceps brachii muscles were harvested (n = 6 per group per muscle). Cross-sectional slices were obtained, fixed, and mounted to analyze EBD infiltration, dystrophin (Dys), and centralized nuclei. The samples were then imaged using a fluorescent microscope. The entire sample was captured using 20x magnification, and the total number of cells, EBD+, Dys-, and centralized nuclei, were counted. A blood sample was collected to measure plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity. Results: Total number of cells was not different between groups (p > 0.05). No significant difference in any of the markers of muscle damage was found in any muscle between CON and DHR (p > 0.05). Conclusion: These data suggest that DHR does not induce muscle damage in adult (5 months) male FVB mice.

Understanding how karst aquifers store and transmit water and contaminants is an ongoing problem in hydrogeology. Flowpath and recharge heterogeneity contribute to the complexity of these systems. This thesis explores karst-conduit connectivity and water chemistry variability in the Houzhai catchment in Guizhou province, China. Artificial tracer tests were conducted during both the monsoon and dry seasons to understand temporal variability in connectivity and water velocity between karst features. Multiple flowpaths through the catchment are activated during the monsoon season and partially abandoned during the dry season. Additionally, gradient reversals during monsoonal high-flow events and as a result of pumping can be significant. Synoptic water samples from several karst features taken during both monsoon and dry seasons elucidate spatial and temporal variability within the catchment. In general, water residence time is longer during the dry season and flow within the Houzhai catchment is temporally dependent. Time-series sampling at the outlet spring during a monsoonal storm event captured chemical variability and identified multiple flowpaths. Overall, this study refines widely applicable methods for studying karst systems to this catchment and provides a foundation for future studies in similar settings.

To this day, fossil fuels still make up over 80% of the earth’s energy production. Many sources of renewable energy are available, but photovoltaics is the only source with the capacity proven to meet the increasing world energy needs. Third generation devices such as dye-sensitized and organic solar cells have gained much interest due to their cost effectiveness and flexibility but have yet to become commercially viable. Here methods have been studied to improve these devices with the use of Gold nanowire arrays. These additions provide plasmonic and light scattering enhancements in dye-sensitized solar cells. Different TiO2 deposition methods have been studied to protect the gold from the redox couple in the electrolyte. Several novel methods have been undertaken to incorporate gold nanowire arrays in organic solar cells with some success. Structural characterization shows the proposed architecture is achieved, but working devices met suffered from low success rate.

This thesis is concerned with an experimental study of clay intercalation by organic dye molecule which is crucial for the successful development of a stable clay-dye pigment with combined advantages of organic dye and inorganic clay. Clay-dye pigments were prepared by two different methods. Two different organic dyes were used with unmodified clay and modified clay to study the intercalation. Characteristics of clay-dye pigment have been investigated using X-Ray Diffraction, Thermo-gravimetric Analysis and Transmission Electron Microscopy. In this thesis it is shown that the absorption of cationic dye by unmodified clay in aqueous medium mainly takes place in the interlayer clay surface. More likely the dye molecules with aromatic quaternary ammonium cation intercalate the clay layer and strongly interacts with the clay interlayer oxygen plane, where solvent dye (which is hydrophobic in nature) adsorption by unmodified clay mainly takes place on outer surface of the clay. Dye molecules are weakly interacted with outer surface oxygen plane by hydrogen bonding or Vander Waals forces. Modified clay enabled the solvent dye to intercalate inside the clay interlayer surface with the suitable non-aqueous medium (because of its expanded structure). The modified clay suspension in the selected non-aqueous medium shows only partial desorption of alkyl ammonium molecule from the clay layer with the presence of both cationic dye and solvent dye. Therefore the penetrated dye molecules must have weakly interacted with the interlayer oxygen plane as well as the remaining alkyl ammonium molecule present inside the clay layer. It is believed that the thermal and UV stability of organic dye can only be facilitated by a specific interaction (Ĉ-interactions) between aromatic alkyl ammonium cation of organic dye molecule and the interlayer oxygen plane of clay minerals. This interaction possibly enables the high thermal energy or the energy of the UV radiation to transmit immediately into the clay layer. Therefore organic dye molecules are protected from high energy loading and hence thermal and UV stability are improved.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 204-217).

<p>Aim and Objectives: To assess the effect of bleaching on the marginal integrity of Class V composite resin restorations. To determine the effect of a 6% hydrogen peroxide over the counter and a 38% hydrogen peroxide in-office vital bleaching treatment products on the microleakage of Class V composite restorations.</p>

In this thesis we synthesize two organic materials, one is discotic liquid crystal Acid-6, and the other is novel discotic liquid crystal polymer DLC-PAM. After demonstrating the molecular structures of Acid-6 and DLC-PAM by FT-MS, 1H-NMR and FT-IR, we use the two materials as photo-sensitized dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells(DSSCs) and manufacture two kinds of cells. We use polyacrylamide(PAM) as main chain of the novel discotic liquid crystal polymer DLC-PAM and graft the discotic liquid crystal monomer Acid-6 onto PAM by chemical synthesis. DLC-PAM belongs to side-chain liquid crystal polymer, and it can show the properties of it¡¦s discotic liquid crystal function. One of the properties is absorption of visible light. By observing the UV-Vis spectrum, we can realize the absorption band is located between 200 ~ 450 nm and confirm that it is able to be a photo-sensitized dye. Another property of discotic liquid crystal is the self-assembly ability, the moleculars can assemble into hexagonal columnar structure by themselves, and the property enable discotic liquid crystal to have better mobility. In this part, we can demonstrate DLC-PAM and Acid-6 really have hexagonal columnar structure by X-ray diffractmeter. After qualitative demonstrating and optical analysis, we use DLC-PAM and Acid-6 as photo-sensitized dyes for DSSCs and manufacture two kinds of cells successfully. The more photocurrent occur when the two DSSCs are woking. Besides, the two DSSCs have good performance on power conversion efficiency which can achieve 0.047 % for DLC-PAM and 0.364 % for Acid-6. Therefore, in this research we prove that DLC-PAM and Acid-6 are able to be photo-sensitized dyes for DSSCs and successfully demonstrate that using the two materials to manufacture DSSCs is feasible.

This thesis consists of two separate parts. The first part consists of one paper and considers problems concerning spatial point processes and the second part includes three papers in the field of bioinformatics. The first part of the thesis is based on a forestry problem of estimating the number of trees in a region by using the information in an aerial photo, showing the area covered by the trees. The positions of the trees are assumed to follow either a binomial point process or a hard-core Strauss process. Furthermore, discs of equal size are used to represent the tree-crowns. We provide formulas for the expectation and the variance of the relative vacancy for both processes. The formulas are approximate for the hard-core Strauss process. Simulations indicate that the approximations are accurate.  The second part of this thesis focuses on pre-processing of microarray data. The microarray technology can be used to measure the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously in a single experiment. The technique is used to identify genes that are differentially expressed between two populations, e.g. diseased versus healthy individuals. This information can be used in several different ways, for example as diagnostic tools and in drug discovery. The microarray technique involves a number of complex experimental steps, where each step introduces variability in the data. Pre-processing aims to reduce this variation and is a crucial part of the data analysis. Paper II gives a review over several pre-processing methods. Spike-in data are used to describe how the different methods affect the sensitivity and bias of the experi­ment. An important step in pre-processing is dye-normalization. This normalization aims to re­move the systematic differences due to the use of different dyes for coloring the samples. In Paper III a novel dye-normalization, the MC-normalization, is proposed. The idea behind this normaliza­tion is to let the channels’ individual intensities determine the cor­rection, rather than the aver­age intensity which is the case for the commonly used MA-normali­zation. Spike-in data showed that  the MC-normalization reduced the bias for the differentially expressed genes compared to the MA-normalization. The standard method for preserving patient samples for diagnostic purposes is fixation in formalin followed by embedding in paraffin (FFPE). In Paper IV we used tongue-cancer micro­RNA-microarray data to study the effect of FFPE-storage. We suggest that the microRNAs are not equally affected by the storage time and propose a novel procedure to remove this bias. The procedure improves the ability of the analysis to detect differentially expressed microRNAs.