The twelve stories in this collection chart a course between the United States and India. Some are set wholly in one country, while others form a bridge between the two. Uniting them is a shared attention to memory, isolation, and loss. In their own idiosyncratic ways, each of the characters in these small fictions is struggling for human connection in a hostile and lonely world.

The reactions and photochemistry of atomic and diatomic transition metals with methanol, water, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide in noble gas matrices at cryogenic temperatures have been studied with the use of Fourier Transform infrared inert matrix spectroscopy. Atoms and dimers of iron and cobalt reacted with methanol to form the adducts, M(CH30H) and M2(CH30H), respectively. M(CH30H) underwent metal insertion into the 0-H bond of methanol to yield methoxymetal hydride, CH3OMH, with irradiation of the matrix in the violet (400 nm < λ < 500 nm) region. Ultraviolet (280 nm < λ < 360 nm) photolysis of the matrix rearranged CH30MH to yield the methylmetal hydroxide species, CH3MOH. CH30MH dissociated into carbon monoxide and hydrogen after prolonged irradiation in the ultraviolet region. Surprisingly, nickel atoms reacted spontaneously to insert into the 0-H bonds of methanol and water to form CH30NiH and HONiH, respectively. Violet photolysis caused CH30NiH to rearrange to form methylnickel hydroxide, CH3NiOH. This is effectively a two step process of the C-0 activation of methanol by a nickel atom. In addition to rearrangement, CH30NiH dissociates into carbon monoxide and hydrogen with violet photolysis. Nickel dimers also reacted spontaneously with water to form both an adduct and insertion products. Atomic nickel spontaneously inserts into the H-H bond of molecular hydrogen to yield a bent nickel dihydride, NiH2, in krypton and xenon matrices. Nickel dimers and trimers insert into the H-H bond of hydrogen to form Nix(H)2. In addition to the insertion products, nickel atoms, dimers, and trimers form adducts molecularly with hydrogen to yield complexes of the form Nix(H2)y, where x or y = 1-3. Reactions of iron with carbon monoxide in an argon matrix yielded the iron-carbonyl complexes, Fex(CO)y, where x = 1-3 and y = 1-2.

Speciation lies at the heart of evolution and the study of reproductive barriers allows a better understanding of the different steps leading to the complete isolation of two species. Pre-mating (behavior tactics, habitat or food divergence, phenotypic divergence and assortative mating) and post-mating, post-zygotic isolation barriers (selection against unfit hybrids) are well studied in numerous species, but little is known about what is happening between insemination and fertilization (post-mating, pre-zygotic isolation barriers). In this study, we chose the well-studied population of pied and collared flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca and F. albicollis) of the hybrid zone of Öland, Sweden, to investigate possible patterns of gamete divergence between these two closely related species. We compared sperm morphology between the two species and their hybrids, analyzing traits that are thought to play an important role in the fertilization success of the males. We did not detect any divergence in sperm morphology between the two species, but we report an extreme reduction of sperm production in hybrid males, as well as spermatogenesis dysfunctions and particularly high rates of extra-pair young in the nests of hybrid males.

As semiconductor device sizes continue to decrease, the traditional bulk CMOS technology is seen as an obstacle itself by the physical device limitations. One of the physical limitations of MOSFETs is to ensure that the SCEs and related issues can be controlled to maintain device performance targets. For SOI MOSFETs, due to the presence of BOX, short-channel behavior is improved, as compared to bulk Si. But self-heating plays a key role in affecting device reliability. Thus, these challenges make the future of planar technology being difficult to be continuously implemented. In this thesis we introduce the concept of the isolation-last process which moves the ¡§FET active region definition¡¨ to the back of the S/D activation process. There are two kinds of devices to be fabricated: BOSDT-APSB MOSFET and ZBOSDT-APSB MOSFET. BOSDT is the acronym of block-oxide S/D-tie and APSB is the acronym of additional poly-Si body. It should be noted that the ZBO is the acronym of zero BO (absence of BO). Actually, the two above-mentioned devices can be referred to as the poly-Si TFTs, due to the presence of poly-Si active region. However, for the ultimate scaling, the two proposed devices can have an additional silicon body or ASB. Two proposed devices, being a consideration of fabrication aspects, have a different design compared to their scaled-down sizes. But we can still hold the ASB¡¦s core values. According to the simulation, the ASB shows its ability to alleviate the SCEs and offers improved cooling capability, which is because the additional body provides extra space for heat dissipation. The unwanted results are that the large gate leakage current and parasitic capacitances are observed as the ASB is created. Fortunately, these results are still within acceptable limits. Experimental results show that the APSB is desirable to suppress the SCEs in both BOSDT and ZBOSDT MOSFETs. We also verify that the device¡¦s cooling capability can be improved by introducing an APSB into MOSFETs. In other words, the APSB is useful for enhanced performance and reliability, although some disadvantages exist also. The BO has been proven to have a better channel controllability than its counterpart. But the ZBO can be seen as the ultimately scaled BO. And after scaling, the schemes of ZBO and ASB become more pronounced.

Rotavirus (RV) nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that induces secretory diarrhea in mouse pups in the absence of other viral proteins. The intracellular transport route(s) and functional mechanism(s) of NSP4 are poorly understood; however, the recent association of the enterotoxin with cellular caveolin-1 may provide a link between NSP4 transport and function. To determine if NSP4 traffics to a specific subset of lipid rafts at the plasma membrane (PM), we isolated caveolae from a PM-enriched fraction with a new method that yielded endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-free caveolae membranes with a unique membrane structure and composition. Comparison of these caveolae with other detergent- and non-detergent-extracted membranes revealed that each caveolae/raft fraction contained caveolae markers; however, only our PM caveolae fraction mimicked the membrane structure and sterol exchange dynamics of intact PM without ER or non-raft PM contaminants. When these PM caveolae were isolated from RV-infected cells, full-length, high-mannose glycosylated NSP4 was present. Confocal imaging showed association of NSP4 with caveolin-1 moving from perinuclear and cytoplasmic sites toward the PM as the infection progressed. Fluorescent imaging also indicated exposure of the NSP4 Cterminus at the exofacial PM surface without transport of the enterotoxin through the Golgi apparatus. Surface-specific biotinylation was used to confirm NSP4 exposure at the surface of infected MDCK cells and to determine that the exposed protein was fulllength and high-mannose glycosylated. This study presents an ER contaminant-free PM caveolae isolation methodology, identifies the presence of full-length, high-mannose glycosylated NSP4 in both PM caveolae and exposed at the cell surface, and confirms the Golgi-bypassing nature of NSP4 ER to PM transport in RV-infected MDCK cells.

Utilizing flywheels to store and reuse energy from regenerative braking on locomotives is a new technology being developed in the Vibration Control and Electromechanics Lab at Texas A&M. This thesis focuses on the motion analysis of a locomotive mounted energy storage flywheel system for a variety of support motion inputs. Two input cases, sinusoidal floor input and ramp input, are analyzed in different sections. Simulation results and methods of ensuring the operating success of the flywheel system are provided at the end of each section. Section 1 introduces the problem and method being used to study the vibration under different circumstances. Section 2 analyzes the response of the flywheel system to sinusoidal floor input given by Ahmadian and Venezia 2000. Natural frequency and transmissibility of the system are utilized to explain the simulation results carried out in the frequency domain. It is found that the motion differences between flywheels(rotors) and magnetic bearings(stators) are guaranteed to be small. Section 3 emulates the locomotive traversing a bump with 1:150 slope. Simulation shows that catcher(backup) bearings are needed to limit the vibration of rotors through a bump. It is also found that gyroscopic effect causes problems in vibration isolation. Section 4 explores de-levitation method and installation of gimbals as possible remedies to this problem. Finally, a summary of simulation results from different input cases is made.

Isolation of terrestrially-observed magnetic signals by restoring their diffusive loss due to subsurface electrical conductivity sufficiently correlates these signals with those derived from the Alfven ionospheric electron movement of refraction variation. Temporary magnetic observatories were established on a conductive sedimentary basin (with a sampling interval of 5 s) and on a resistive large igneous intrusion (with a sampling interval of 10 s). Conventional modeling techniques estimate and remove the effects of the magnetometer, geomagnetic diurnal changes, whorls (solar quiet current vortices), and some bays from the acquired signals. Conventional one-dimensional skin depth modeling estimates the diffusive attenuation. The residual magnetic signal and the diffusive filter (as applied to the topography) become quantities in the linear system estimation of the geoelectric subsurface. Angular frequency domain least squares solution of the equations yields an isolated magnetic anomaly spectrum. Interpretive refinement, by selection of the zero or near zero curvature onset of either the spectrum's real or imaginary component, critically prepares the signal solution for correlation to a pseudomagnetic anomaly signal. This is an independently-derived sequence of anomalous values derived from Global Positioning System (GPS) refracted ranges. Detailed application of the Biot-Savart law provides independent anomaly signals to which the magnetic anomalies correlations show great correlation improvement by the isolation. These correlation improvements are from 2% to 83% and 9% to 91% for the sedimentary basin and from 2% to 96% and 24% to 78% for the igneous intrusion.

A continuous formulation to calculate the dynamic stiffness matrix of structural members with distributed masses is presented in detail and verified with some simple examples. The dynamic model of a specific bridge (the Marga-Marga bridge in Chile) was developed using this formulation, and the model was then used to obtain the transfer functions of the motions at different points of the bridge due to seismic excitation. The model included rubber pads, used for base isolation, as additional members. The transfer functions were obtained with and without rubber pads to investigate their effect. The dynamic stiffness of complete pile foundations was calculated by a semi-analytical solution with Poulos?? assumption. General observations on group effects under various conditions were obtained from the result of these studies. The dynamic stiffness of the pile foundations for the Marga-Marga bridge was then obtained and used to study the soil structure interaction effects on the seismic response of the bridge. Records obtained during a real earthquake were examined and interpreted in light of the results from all these analyses. Finally, conclusions and recommendations on future studies are presented.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of Psychology, Committee on Human Development, December 2003. / CD-ROM reproduces p. 100-136 of dissertation. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Zuoxin Wang, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Oct. 1, 2003). Includes bibliographical references.