Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed June 7, 2010) Includes bibliographical references (p. 44-46).

Dissertation--Universität Kiel, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [227]-244).

"Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration from the Naval Postgraduate School, June 2010." / Advisor(s): Yoho, Keenan ; Nalwasky, Richard. "June 2010." "MBA Professional report"--Cover. Description based on title screen as viewed on July 14, 2010. Author(s) subject terms: Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-surface Warfare (ASUW), and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), P-8A Poseidon, Expeditionary, Forward Operating Location (FOL), Logistics, Maintenance, JOPES Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-41). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-92) Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-143).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-223). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Th. doct.--Signal et images--Paris--ENST, 1993. / Notes bibliogr.

Tissue maintenance requires a balance between cell production and cell death. The former is dependent on the activity of stem cells, which in turn are dependent on both extrinsic signals produced by surrounding somatic tissue and intrinsic signals to control their behaviour. Additionally, stem cell activity may be regulated by systemic factors, demonstrating the complexity of stem cell regulation. The ovary of Drosophila melanogaster is a useful model for understanding tissue function as production of a viable egg requires the coordination of two different stem cell populations, the germline stem cells and follicle stem cells. In a screen designed to identify genes which regulate early oogenesis in the Drosophila ovary, we identified the four candidate genes which are described in the three papers found in this thesis. The first paper demonstrates that two RNA associated proteins, Ataxin 2 binding protein 1 and Gemin3, are essential for germline stem cell and follicle cell production in a Sex lethal dependent manner. The second shows that Glucuronyl transferase I, which is important for regulating the synthesis of key components of the extracellular matrix known as proteoglycans, is able to regulate the activity of several different signalling pathways. Finally, the third paper suggests that Defective proboscis extension response 9, a brain expressed gene involved in the behavioural response to alcohol, is important for regulating both follicle cells and germline stem cells at a systemic level. Taken together, these papers highlight the importance of intrinsic, extrinsic and systemic signalling in regulating stem cell function during Drosophila oogenesis.

Rational decisions about cost-effective maintenance and structural repair are hampered by the absence of comprehensive data on structural performance of generic repair materials acting compositely with deteriorated concrete elements. In the present climate of durability problems in concrete construction such information is of critical importance. In order to assess long-term structural performance of repaired elements, basic short and long-term properties of generic repair materials are required under various exposure conditions. The principle requirements to ensure satisfactory long-term performance of the repair have always been high dimensional stability and relatively high early bond strength of the repair material with the substrate concrete. As part of a "Brite Euram" project, sponsored by E.E.C., the author has obtained considerable experimental data on properties of three commercially available generic repair materials, which are significant to the subsequent structural behaviour of repaired concrete members. A comparison is also made between the performance of these repair materials with a plain concrete mix of similar strength and stiffness. The following generic repair materials were used: a high performance non-shrinkable concrete, a mineral based cementitious material with no additives and no coarse aggregate size particles, and a cementitious mortar which contains styrene acrylic copolymer with fibre additives. The repair materials are supplied as single component systems by their manufacturers, ready for on-site mixing and use, and require only the addition of clean water. Data on strength, stiffness, post peak-load ductility under compression, swelling, shrinkage and creep deformations under various curing conditions are presented in this thesis. In addition water permeability coefficients and chloride penetration profiles of the materials at various ages of exposure have been determined. A comprehensive compilation of chloride diffusion data is made and an empirical expression is derived for the prediction of long-term chloride penetration profiles based on data obtained at relatively early ages. Application of this prediction model to the field data of some Arabian Gulf structures is made. The influence of repair materials on the performance of reinforced concrete compression members has been studied. A theoretical model is also derived to predict the long-term structural interaction between a repair patch and substrate concrete in short compression members of reinforced concrete. The model is based on the basic properties of materials, such as creep deformation, drying shrinkage and modulus of elasticity. The validity of the model is established on the basis of the experimental data obtained in this study. At the end of the thesis, conclusions and recommendations for future research are made.

Process plants come with a wide variety of engineering challenges. Each process has uniqueoperating conditions that require careful operation and maintenance programs to keep the process equipment in a condition that is safe for operation. A pilot-scale plant was built in Luleå to demonstrate the possibility of carbon dioxide removal from blast furnace gas usingthe Sorption Enhanced Water Gas Shift (SEWGS) technology. One of the challenges facingthe SEWGS pilot plant was the lack of a maintenance plan which was the motivation for this thesis. The aim of this thesis was to create a maintenance plan for the SEWGS pilot plant. Studying the process conditions of the pilot plant was the starting point since an understanding of the unique operating conditions was necessary for creating a maintenance plan for the pilot plant’s equipment. The Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) method was chosen to create the maintenance plan. The study began with determining the objectives and contents of the analysis. The next step was a functional failure analysis in the form of a Failure Mode and Effect Criticality Analysis (FMECA) covering all the equipment in the plant. Afterwards the failure consequences were assessed based on a criticality assessment matrix to determine which equipment necessitate the performance of maintenance activities. The maintenance plan was created based upon the criticality of the equipment and the selected maintenance activities were based on the recommendations of manufacturers. The failure analysis found that the blast furnace gas compressor is the most critical for the process. The boiler and superheater have been found to be highly critical due to the dangerous safety consequences of their failure. In addition, all pressure safety valves have been found to be highly critical due to the hidden nature of their failure. The maintenance plan addresses these critical items and other less critical items while some non-critical items have been removed from the plan due to the negligible consequences of their failure.