Quantum information processing is of interest as it offers the potential for a new generation of very powerful computers supporting novel computational paradigms. Over the last couple of decades, different aspects of quantum computers ranging from quantum algorithms to quantum physical design have received growing attention. One of the most important research areas is the synthesis and post-synthesis optimization of reversible and quantum circuits. Many synthesis and optimization approaches can be found in the literature, yet, due to the complexity of the problem, finding approaches leading to optimal, or near optimal, results is still an open problem. The synthesized circuits are usually evaluated based on quantum cost models. Therefore, they are often technology mapped to circuits of more primitive gates. To this end, various technology mapping approaches have also been proposed in the past few years. Related work shows an existing gap in optimized technology mapping for reversible and quantum circuits. In this dissertation, an optimized technology mapping design flow is introduced for mapping reversible circuits to quantum circuits. The contributions of this dissertation are classified as follows: - New reversible circuit optimization methods. - Optimized reversible to quantum mapping approaches. - New quantum gate libraries and new cost models for reversible gates based on the new libraries. - Quantum circuit optimization approaches. The steps above, form an optimized flow for mapping reversible circuits to quantum circuits. At each step of the design flow optimized and consistent approaches are suggested with the goal of reducing the quantum cost of the synthesized reversible circuits. The evaluations show that the proposed mapping methodology leads to significant improvement in the quantum cost of the existing benchmark circuits. / Graduate

In this thesis we investigate some of the issues involved in creating a reversible variant of the formal software development language B. We consider the effects of regarding computation as a potentially reversible process, yielding a number of new programming structures which we integrate into an implementation-level language RB0, a more expressive variant of B0, the current implementation-level language for B. Since reversibility simplifies garbage collection, in RB0 we make use of more abstract, set-based data types, normally available in B only at the specification level. Similarly, we propose extending the domain of abstract functions currently specifiable in B to allow them to become concrete functions, thereby furnishing B with a functional sub-language. We also investigate expanding the use of Lambda calculus from the abstract stage of B to the implementation. Unlike B0, RB0 will not disallow non-determinism, and can also specify what we call Prospective Value computations (which are described). The executable language implements all of these features. After introducing some preliminary concepts, we review the work leading to the rise of Reversible Computing as a possible answer to the growing problem of energy dissipation in modern processors. We describe the language RB0, and demonstrate the use of its features, introducing the companion language RB1 and its role in the process. We then introduce our execution platform, the Reversible Virtual Machine (RVM), and translate some of the examples developed earlier into RVM code. For the concrete functions, we provide a proposed syntax and translation schema to enable consistent translation to RVM, and introduce a postfix Lambda notation to link the RB0 specification to the RVM’s own postfix notation. We provide comprehensive translation schemas for those parts of RB0 which would be found in B operations; these will form the basis of an automated translation engine. In addition, we look at a denotational semantics for Bunch theory, which has proved useful in formalising the underlying concepts.

In the last twenty years Reversible Shape-Memory (RSM) alloys have become the source of considerable technological interest as a result of their ability to generate spontaneous and reversible changes of shape on thermal cycling. This has led to the development of a range of reversible shape-memory devices for thermostatic sensing applications. In these devices the alloy is subjected to several thousand shape-memory cycles and the stability of the reversible shape-memory is therefore an important alloy property. Data on the effect of shape-memory cycling on the long-term stability of the reversible shape-memory, however, is extremely limited. The present work, conducted to fill this gap, has shown that there is an inherent instability in the reversible shape-memory, with changes in the operating temperatures and cumulative reductions in the maximum shape-strain output of actuators on long-term thermal cycling under conditions simulating real devices. Extensive investigation has shown that these instabilities result from a number of sources, ageing of the shape-memory martensites and most importantly from morphological disruptions in the "trained" martensites caused by two-stage stress-induced transformation and due to the build-up of transformation-induced dislocation debris. This shape-strain degradation has also been successfully modelled by means of a simple two-stage stress-induced martensitic transformation model.

A shape memory polymer (SMP) is stimuli-responsive with the fantastic capacity to “memorize” a temporary shape under certain conditions and to recover to its permanent shape upon exposure to certain external stimulus (e.g. heat, light, electromagnetic field). In the past few decades, various SMPs have been investigated and applied in the area of aerospace, biomedicine, and textiles, etc. Recently, a special type of SMP called a ‘two-way reversible shape memory polymer’ or ‘reversible shape memory polymer’ (RSMP) capable of transitioning between two temporary shapes without the need for reprogramming after each change has attracted the attention of many researchers. In this class of polymer, the semicrystalline RSMP was studied considerably due to the various chain structures produced by relatively simple synthesis routes. The crystallization-induced elongation (CIE) and melting-induced contraction (MIC) of the oriented crystal domains has been theorized as the main mechanism of semicrystalline RSMP. However, most RSMPs are predominantly thermosets, which implies significant drawbacks regarding reprocessing and recycling. This thesis focuses on the development of RSMP based on polyolefin materials, especially novel high-performance polyolefin elastomers, due to the advantages of high crystallizability, varying chain structures, tunable and broad melting transitions, and low cost. The thesis starts off by demonstrating the reversible shape memory effect (RSME) of the thermoplastic ethylene/1-octene diblock copolymer, which contains the ethylene-rich hard segments and the 1-octene-rich soft segments. The delicately designed chain structure exhibited a broad melting transition and strong physical crosslinks, which contributed to the resulting RSME and the CIE/MIC effect at load-free conditions. Furthermore, the commercially available polyolefin elastomer blends demonstrated the RSME. The utilization of commercial products and simple processing method to achieve a thermoplastic RSMP offers easy production in large scale and low costs. The second part of the thesis developed a polyolefin-based RSMP with reconfigurable network by introducing a transesterification catalyst into a crosslinked poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate). The network reconfiguration achieved a dynamic covalent polymer network by breaking the ester bonds and reconnecting. The third part of the thesis explored a new RSMP foam material developed by utilizing polyolefins. The polyolefin elastomers of differing compositions were blended and foamed to fabricate the porous structure. The RSME in a load-free condition was then demonstrated successfully. This thesis represents significant progress in the development of polyolefin-based RSMPs, outlining new structural design, processability improvements, and potential applications. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Shape memory polymer (SMP) is stimuli-responsive capable of “memorizing” a temporary shape and yet recovering to its permanent shape upon a certain external trigger. SMPs are widely studied and applied in the areas of aerospace, biomedicine, textile, etc. On the other hand, a reversible shape memory polymer (RSMP) is a new type of SMP that can shift back and forth between two different temporary shapes without the need of reprogramming between transitions, and has been applied in soft actuators, microrobotics, and artificial muscles. In this thesis, unique polyolefin-based RSMP were developed with good reprocessability and shown in new application scenarios. Firstly, a thermoplastic semicrystalline polymer was demonstrated to exhibit the reversible shape memory effect (RSME) by using a lab-designed ethylene/1-octene diblock copolymer and commercial polyolefin elastomer blends. Subsequently, the reprocessability of a crosslinked poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (PEVA) RSMP was improved by introducing a dynamic covalent polymer network. Finally, transitional changes between shapes was amplified by developing a RSMP foam by utilizing polyolefin elastomer blends. This thesis represents significant progress in the study of polyolefin-based RSMPs.

In this thesis we carry out a further study of the back and forth error compensation and correction (BFECC) method. The first part discusses the time reversibility of numerical schemes. Motivated by the BFECC method, a variety of new numeri- cal schemes that aim at improving the time reversibility are developed and studied. We also introduce an interpolation algorithm based on BFECC in this part. In the second part we introduce a new limiting strategy which requires another backward advection in time so that overshoots/undershoots at the new time level get exposed when they are transformed back to compare with the solution at the old time level. This new technique is very simple to implement even for unstructured meshes and is able to eliminate artifacts induced by jump discontinuities in the solution itself or in its derivatives.

Two highly homologous synthetic peptides MLC(3-13) (K-R-A-K-A-K-T-TK-K-R-G) and MLC(5-13) (A-K-A-K-T-T-K-K-R-G) corresponding to the amino terminal amino acid sequence of smooth muscle myosin light chain were utilized as substrates for protein kinase C purified from murine lymphosarcoma tumors to determine the role of the primary amino acid sequence of protein kinase C substrates in defining the lipid (phosphatidyl serine and diacylglycerol) requirements for the activation of the enzyme. Removal of the basic residues lysine and arginine from the amino terminus of MLC(3-13) did not have a significant effect on the Ka value of diacylglycerol. The binding of effector to calcium-protein kinase C appears to be random since binding of one effector did not block the binding of the other.

Reversible watermarking techniques extract the watermark and recover the original image from the watermarked image without any distortion. They have been applied for those sensitive fields, such as the medicine and the military. In this thesis, a novel watermarking algorithm using multi-prediction values has been proposed. It exploits the correlation between the original pixel and the neighboring pixels to obtain twelve prediction candidates, and then selects a candidate as the prediction value according to the original pixel and the temporary prediction value. Due to the algorithm use the original pixel as one of the parameters to decide the prediction value, our prediction values are obtained with great precision. The experimental results reveal that the performance of our proposed method outperforms that proposed by Sachnev. For example the variance of the prediction errors histogram obtained by the proposed method is less than that obtained by the algorithm proposed by Sachnev et al. about 44.2%; the mean PSNR greater than about 1.47 dB and 1.1 dB under the watermark capacity 0~0.04 bpp and 0.04~0.5 bpp, respectively. Therefore, the proposed method is especially appropriate for embedding watermark in low or medium capacity. Keyword¡G reversible watermarking, watermarking, prediction, histogram shifting.

Copolymers of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) and N-hydroxysuccinimide methacrylate (NMS) were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization using a semi-batch method. The copolymers were prepared in a wide range of molecular weights (Mn= 4,200-14,000 g/mol) with narrow polydispersities (1.2-1.4). A new approach was developed to prepare a modified RAFT chain transfer agent, a naphthalimide-dyelabeled dithiobenzoate. It was used to prepare a naphthalimide-dye end-labeled poly(HPMA-co-NMS). The copolymer was characterized by four different methods, 1H NMR spectroscopy via end group characterization and using 3-(trimethylsilyl)propionic acid-d4 sodium salt (TSP)external standard, end group analysis by UV-Vis spectroscopy and by GPC. The results obtained from these measurements are in good agreement.

Copolymers of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) and N-hydroxysuccinimide methacrylate (NMS) were synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization using a semi-batch method. The copolymers were prepared in a wide range of molecular weights (Mn= 4,200-14,000 g/mol) with narrow polydispersities (1.2-1.4). A new approach was developed to prepare a modified RAFT chain transfer agent, a naphthalimide-dyelabeled dithiobenzoate. It was used to prepare a naphthalimide-dye end-labeled poly(HPMA-co-NMS). The copolymer was characterized by four different methods, 1H NMR spectroscopy via end group characterization and using 3-(trimethylsilyl)propionic acid-d4 sodium salt (TSP)external standard, end group analysis by UV-Vis spectroscopy and by GPC. The results obtained from these measurements are in good agreement.

Modern technologies have eased the way for adversaries to bypass the conventional identity authentication and identification processes; hence security systems have been developed to a great extent for protection of privacy and security of identities in different applications. The focus of this thesis is digital watermarking, security and privacy, as well as the ability to employ electrocardiogram as a method to enhance the security and privacy level. A high capacity reversible multiple watermarking scheme is introduced to mainly target the medical images. Furthermore, the use of ECG biometric signals in the form of the embedded watermark is studied. Experimental results indicate that the reversible data hiding scheme outperforms other approaches in the literature in terms of payload capacity and marked image quality. Results from the ECG mark embedding also show that no major degradation in performance is noticeable compared to the case where no watermarking is needed.