Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 19-02, page: 0185. / Thesis (M.A.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

A method for distinguishing complete momentum transfer reactions from other types of reaction mechanisms is discussed. The nuclear reactions used to perform this study were $\sp{12}$C($\sp{12}$C,HI) at E$\sb{\rm cm}$ = 31.5, 21.75, and 12 MeV and $\sp{10}$B($\sp{12}$C,HI) and $\sp{12}$C($\sp{10}$B,HI) at E$\sb{\rm cm}$ = 28.64, 19.77, and 10.91 MeV. These data were measured with high precision at three laboratory angles, typically 8$\sp\circ$, 16$\sp\circ$, and 25$\sp\circ$ and with lesser precision at several other angles using a time of flight (TOF) system. The TOF system utilized a microchannel plate detector along with a silicon surface barrier detector 270 cm downstream to obtain time information. By using this arrangement, very low energy heavy residues could be measured (down to 3-4 MeV). / In order to distinguish the complete momentum transfer reactions from the other reaction mechanisms, transformations into the center of mass frame were made. By examining the symmetry of the center of mass velocity distributions obtained (assuming a symmetric center of mass angular distribution), information on the reaction process could be made evident. Specifically, for complete momentum transfer reactions, it is expected that the heavy residues will display a symmetry about 90$\sp\circ$ in the center of mass and thus have symmetric center of mass velocity and angular distributions. For other reaction mechanisms this would not be the case unless the entrance channel used were symmetric. In the case of a symmetric entrance channel this symmetry would be manifested regardless of reaction mechanism. The $\sp{12}$C + $\sp{12}$C thus allowed us to test the degree of symmetry one would achieve under ideal circumstances for this type of data and analysis. / A statistical model analysis is also performed and then compared to the data. Most of the data is shown to be due to a complete momentum transfer process and good agreement between the statistical model predictions and the data is realized. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-02, Section: B, page: 0608. / Major Professor: Lawrence C. Dennis. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

This thesis is a comparative macro model study of two countries distinct both institutionally and economically: the United States and Yugoslavia. An overview of post World-War II macroeconomic events is discussed in order to provide a background for the estimation and policy analysis of the respective macro models. Annual econometric macro models are then estimated and discussed over the period 1952-1984. Given the underlying macro model structures, model validation and tracking performance is undertaken. Following the historical performance of the models, alternative policy experiments are entertained. Expansionary fiscal and monetary policy experiments of equal magnitude are conducted for both the United States and Yugoslavia. The relative strengths of fiscal and monetary policy are then diagnosed. Further policy experiments tailored, more specifically, to the economic situation prevailing in the respective economies are conducted. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-03, Section: A, page: 0746. / Major Professor: James H. Gapinski. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

This paper specified a hedonic price equation for marinas, which enabled the analysis of the impact of services, location, neighborhood, water quality, accessibility, and structure on marina pricing decisions. The coefficients of these various characteristics are interpreted as the implicit prices of these characteristics assuming the boater has sufficient choices. / For choice of functional form a Box-Cox model was estimated using a maximum likelihood algorithm. A log likelihood test was utilized to indicate that the Box-Cox model was superior to the alternative functional forms of linear, semi-log, and log-log. A test for market segmentation using a F-test for reduction of sum of squared residuals indicated no separation between new marinas (less than or equal to 15 years) and old marinas. A Reset test using a F statistic indicated no bias in the parameter estimates due to omitted variables, incorrect functional form or simultaneity. / Variables which are important in the determination of wet slip prices include age, draft, total slips, ocean location, availability of telephone, and location in region ten, all of which were positively related to wet slip fees. The number of ramps and marinas located in regions three or seven, were significant variables negatively related to wet slip fees. The model was unable to give a significant measure of the boater's willingness to pay for improved water quality. / The model was used to illustrate how a change in a particular characteristic will affect the taxable value for a particular marina. Practical applications include use by marina investors, investment lenders, and appraisers. The model estimated can also aid in the determination of an equitable fee system for marinas leasing state submerged lands. A fee, based on the estimated yearly effective gross income, commensurate with a marinas location as well as structural and amenity characteristics can be calculated. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-04, Section: A, page: 1321. / Major Professor: Frederick W. Bell. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

This study develops a model which describes the energy consumption behavior of several consuming sectors in a region. Three sectors of consumers are considered: industrial, commercial, and residential. In each sector three energy fuels are considered: petroleum, natural gas, and electricity. Sectoral behavior is estimated for two regions: Massachusetts and Florida for the 1972 to 1984 time period. / It is hypothesized that the consumers in each of the sectors behave so as to minimize the cost of the energy consumed in the production of some output. Output is measured using an industrial production index in the industrial sector, income in the commercial sector, and the number of households in the residential sector. The estimation is based on the assumption that energy inputs are separable from the other components of production such that model inputs are generally limited to measures of fuel price, fuel consumption and sectoral output. / A translog function was chosen as the form for estimating the cost function for each sector. From the cost function, fuel share equations, representing the portion of total cost expended on each fuel, are derived. The resulting system of equations, total cost and share equations, are estimated using an iterative Zellner technique. After checking the estimated models for desired behavioral characteristics, scenarios of energy consumption are developed and the relationships are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4213. / Major Professor: Joan Haworth. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

The structural motif and backbone dynamics of the gramicidin-A transmembrane channel in a membrane environment have been investigated using solid-state $\sp{15}$N NMR. Recent determinations of the $\sp{15}$N chemical shift anisotropy tensor with respect to the molecular frame enable the quantitative evaluation of the $\sp{15}$N chemical shift resonances obtained from oriented dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) bilayer samples containing specific-site $\sp{15}$N-labeled gramicidin. / Spectra obtained from oriented samples in the liquid-crystalline phase have been used to verify the $\beta$-type hydrogen-bonding pattern of the helical backbone, and to determine that in these DMPC bilayer preparations the gramicidin channel is right-handed. In addition, these data place constraints on the C$\sb\alpha$-C$\sb\alpha$ axis orientation of individual peptide planes relative to the helix axis. / Spectra obtained from oriented samples in the gel phase have been analyzed to yield a spatial model for local motion. This model includes the axis of motion, the mean orientation, and the maximum amplitude of displacement for individual peptide planes. Specific sites in the first turn of the amino terminus were investigated, with emphasis on the Ala$\sb3$ and Leu$\sb4$ linkages for which the orientation of the $\sp{15}$N tensor with respect to the molecular frame has been determined. The effects of two well defined smectic layer defect structures, parabolic focal conics (PFC's) and oily streaks, are included in the spectral simulations. It is concluded that in the absence of ions, large amplitude motions are not present in the peptide planes of the first turn of the helix. A detailed characterization of bilayer surface geometry is presently the limiting factor in the use of this technique for probing the spatial extent of local motions in integral membrane proteins. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-04, Section: B, page: 1604. / Major Professor: Timothy Albert Cross. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

Histone genes differ from other eucaryotic genes in that they lack introns and are not polyadenylated. The levels of histone mRNAs are coordinately regulated with DNA synthesis. mRNA stability is a major determinant of histone mRNA levels and histone mRNAs are rapidly degraded when DNA synthesis is inhibited. This thesis examines sequence requirements for both processing and degradation of histone mRNA. The highly conserved terminal stem-loop of the histone mRNA is necessary and sufficient to mediate regulated degradation and is also necessary for processing the 3$\sp\prime$ end of the histone mRNA. Histone mRNAs are degraded during translation and the stem-loop must be less than 300 nucleotides downstream of the termination codon for proper regulation of degradation. No particular sequence in the 4-base loop of the stem-loop is necessary for proper degradation since RNAs with changes in the sequence of these bases are regulated normally. A disruption of the base pair at the top of the stem however abolishes regulation of degradation and the mRNA is stable when DNA synthesis is inhibited. Changes in the sequence of the bases of the loop also caused the mRNA to be processed inefficiently. Taken together, these data suggest that degradation occurs on the ribosome and that the stem-loop structure is specifically recognized. A wild type loop sequence is not sufficient for efficient processing since a gene with the terminal stem-loop at the end of histone mRNA has multiple functions in histone mRNA metabolism. A link between the lack of introns in histone genes and lack of polyadenylation of histone mRNAs has been demonstrated. Thus introduction of intron(s) into the histone H2a gene interferes with 3$\sp\prime$ end formation resulting in substantial reduction in the amount of histone mRNA with a terminal stem-loop and a parallel increase in the amount of / polyadenylated histone mRNA. It is proposed that this occurs because a nascent spliceosome directs 3$\sp\prime$ end formation. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-04, Section: B, page: 1605. / Major Professor: William F. Marzluff. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

Liquid-crystalline phase formation is concentrated DNA solutions with the ionic strengths of 0.01, 0.3 and 1 M Na$\sp{+}$ was investigated using phosphorus-31 NMR spectroscopy and optical microscopy. The phase diagrams for isotropic to liquid-crystalline transitions were determined for all three ionic strengths from $\sp{31}$P NMR data and were found to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions of P. J. Flory (Proc. Roy. Soc. A 234, 73; 1956) and Stroobants et al. (Macromolecules 19, 2232; 1986). The critical DNA concentration required for the anisotropic phase formation was found to be weakly dependent on ionic strength, indicating that the effective DNA radius is not strongly dependent on ionic strength. / Two types of mesophases were formed in solutions of all ionic strengths investigated: a weakly birefringent, precholesteric phase and a cholesteric phase. In addition, concentrated solutions with DNA concentrations exceeding 250 mg/mL in 0.01 M and 0.3 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer exhibited microscopic textures similar to the textures observed in smectic phases formed in solutions of small molecules, indicating a possible two-dimensional ordering of DNA helices. / The sodium-DNA interactions in solutions with DNA concentrations in the range of 10-300 mg/mL and ionic strengths of 0.01 and 1 M Na$\sp{+}$ were investigated using sodium-23 NMR. The longitudinal relaxation rate of bound ions in the range of DNA concentrations of 10-200 mg/mL was found to be $\sim$200 Hz in 0.01 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer and $\sim$380 Hz in 1 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer. The relaxation rate was larger in samples which exhibited cholesteric ordering of DNA molecules. / Quadrupole splitting was observed in samples in which the cholesteric phase first appeared: at 190 mg/mL in 0.01 M Na$\sp{+}$ and 250 mg/mL in 1 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer. The magnitude of quadrupole splitting decreased with increasing DNA concentration in 0.01 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer and remained relatively constant in 1 M Na$\sp{+}$ buffer. In addition, the quadrupole splitting changed sign when the temperature was increased from 20 to 60 $\sp\circ$C. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-08, Section: B, page: 2979. / Major Professor: Randolph Lynn Rill. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there can be transport of vibrational energy along alpha helices by means of a soliton mechanism. This has been proposed by A. S. Davydov, and, if proven correct, would be highly significant for the interpretation of structure and function in biological macromolecules. / The approach necessary to generate dynamical solutions with soliton character for the helix, is one of forming a reduced Hamiltonian for the amide I vibrational modes, i.e. replacing 'background' modes, to which they are coupled, with quantum mechanical averages. As a result the total wavefunction has a semiclassical form, i.e. a product of background and 'primary' (amide I) wavefunctions. / Since such product forms for the wavefunctions of interacting systems are not generally valid we sought a way to describe the composite system exactly. This we achieved by means of two simple transformations of the total Hamiltonian, which allowed the extraction of dynamically significant terms. The simulations were performed on a Cyber 205, by means of a highly vectorized algorithm for the transformed Hamiltonian. / The results of these studies were that no soliton-like behavior was observed. Energy, initially localized, spreads down the helix more slowly, but the width of the excitation packet is wider than if there was no background coupling. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-08, Section: B, page: 2979. / Major Professor: William C. Rhodes. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

Morocco's development policies, which were based on a strategy of import substitution and relied heavily on deficit financing, reached their limit early in the mid 1970's and early 1980's. The manifestation of this has been the eventual prevalence of chronic internal and external imbalances which have dimmed the prospects of economic growth. Bearing this in mind and the new entry of Spain, Greece and Portugal--direct competitors of Morocco--into the European Economic Community, the aim of this dissertation is to construct an aggregate econometric model in order to estimate the numerical values of various important parameters describing the behavior of several economic phenomena during the period from 1960 to 1984. / In designing the model, we drew on relevant theories including development theory, and took due consideration of actual structural and institutional peculiarities of the Moroccan economy and its policy making institutions. The dissertation describes how the model functions, cautions against its limitations, and outlines its potential policy uses. The model provides a sound quantitative framework for Morocco's macro and sectoral analysis. The study also provides a forecast and dynamic multiplier analyses. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3798. / Major Professor: William J. Serow. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.