Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

This dissertation focuses on the use of theoretical tools to analyze wavefunctions and thus elucidate chemical phenomena. Our investigation of weak bonds shows them to be more prevalent than was previously believed. We find two types of weak bonds, associated with delocalized or with steric interactions, and we classify weak bonds by their topological properties in a way that correlates well with the origin of the bonding interactions. We develop a quantitative measure of bonding. The covalent bond order based on a partitioning of the total number of electrons in a system is shown to be remarkably consistent with the expectations of "chemical intuition" without building in prejudices due to arbitrary references to basis sets. / In applications of these tools, we interpret the results of electronic structure calculations on trifluoro-, tricyano-, and trinitromethanes and their deprotonated analogs. We demonstrate that, most probably as a result of changes in geometries upon deprotonation, there is no single-parameter correlation between the absolute gas-phase acidities and a number of geometric, topological, and charge indices for these molecules. We also elucidate bonding patterns in various rotamers of the "push-pull" hexasubstituted ethanes, C(NH$\sb3)\sb3$CX$\sb3$, (X = F, CN, or NO$\sb2$). We show that bonds in these systems can be classified as ionic or covalent on the basis of GAPT charges and charge transfers, as well as by Bader charges and topological properties of the electron density at bond critical points. These large-scale calculations demonstrate that it is now feasible to compute wavefunctions and to perform fruitful analyses of them for many large systems of chemical interest. This research yields a number of unusual results, including the fact that C(NH$\sb2)\sb3$C(CN)$\sb3$ is the first molecule known to possess in vacuo two stable isomers that have the same formal connectivities between atoms, but different electronic structures: one covalent and the other ionic. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: B, page: 1464. / Major Professor: Jerzy Cioslowski. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

<p> <b>Background:</b> The effect of trigger point dry needling (TDN) on myofascial trigger points (MTP) in Achilles tendinopathy are unknown. <b> Objectives:</b> To determine the feasibility of a large randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare the effects of TDN to exercise in a patient population with Achilles tendinopathy. <b>Methods:</b> This single-factor, pretest-posttest control group design included 22 subjects between the ages of 24 and 65 years with Achilles tendinopathy. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a control group (MT+Ex) or experimental group (TDN+MT+Ex). Subjects in both groups completed 8 physical therapy treatment sessions over 4 weeks. The intervention for the TDN+MT+Ex group included TDN to MTPs in the gastrocnemius, soleus or tibialis posterior each session while the same soft tissue mobilization and exercise program was conducted in both groups. <b>Results:</b> Within group analysis was performed for each group at 4 week and 90 day follow up. Significant improvement (p &lt; .05) was achieved for FAAM, NPRS, pain pressure threshold and strength in both groups at 4 weeks and 90 days. The GROC was significant for MT + Ex at 90 days. The MCID for the FAAM, GROC were surpassed in both groups at 4 weeks and 90 days. NPRS surpassed the MCID for the MT + Ex group at 4 weeks. <b> Conclusion:</b> A large RCT to investigate the effects of TDN on MTP in Achilles tendinopathy is feasible with modifications. <b>Recommendations: </b> Special considerations for data collection sites should be given to the health care system, insurance payor, and financial burden to subjects.</p><p>

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

The purpose of this study is to present the biological affinity of four Taiwanese Indigenous groups. Previous studies based on linguistics and ethnography had shown that there are differences between the indigenous groups in Taiwan (Ferrell 1969; Utsurikawa et al. 1935). Archaeological remains also indicate that there was a wide variety of groups (Tsang 1995). In order to provide some biological evidence for this issue, the present research estimated the biodistance from both cranial measurements and non-metric cranial traits between the four Taiwanese Indigenous groups (Atayal, Bunun, Babuza, and Pazeh) from modern collections. It is hypothesized that the Taiwanese Indigenous groups would have significant biological differences: the Atayal and Bunun samples (mountain indigenous) would cluster, while the Babuza and Pazeh (lowland indigenous) would cluster separately. The two hypotheses were supported from both craniometric and non-metric data in the present study. Limited comparison with groups from other areas was also performed in order to examine the possible dispersal pattern of the Taiwanese Indigenous groups. Craniometric data from three samples (South Japan, Philippines, and Hainan) from the William W. Howells Craniometric Data Set and non-metric data of four samples (Philippines, South China, Southeast Asians, and Okinawa) from Fukumine et al. (2006) were used. Since the popular hypothesis of the Austronesians’ origin suggests that there was intensive movement between Taiwan and Philippines (e.g., Bellwood 1988; Diamond 2000; Melton et al. 1995; Solheim 1988; Su et al. 2000; Trejaut et al. 2005), it is hypothesized that the Taiwanese Indigenous groups would show the closest affinity with the samples from Philippines while the other groups would be in another cluster. However, this hypothesis is not supported in the present study. The result showed that the Taiwanese Indigenous groups and those from the Philippines are relatively distant. This supports the hypothesis of Tsang (2012) that the early dispersal of Austronesian groups may have occurred several times through multiple routes to Taiwan and the Philippines.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

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The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between performance by children on computerized rehabilitation tasks, age and standardized assessment instruments. It was hypothesized that children's performance would differ by age on standardized assessment instruments and computer tasks developed for rehabilitation of attention, visual/perceptual and visual memory skills.;Two hundred five children from three schools in Chesapeake, Virginia, completed the Benton Visual Retention Test - Administration C, the Trail Making Test (B), and six computer tasks. Significant correlation was found between age, and both assessment instruments as well as five of the computer tasks. Standardized instruments correlated with one of each type of computer task for attention, visual/perceptual and visual memory skills. Additionally, correlation was found between one computer program and the Trail Making Test for visual/perceptual skills.;Further study is needed to develop standardization of these computer tasks for use rehabilitation of attention, visual/perceptual and memory skills dysfunction.

Niobium rf superconductivity is a near-surface phenomenon because of the shallow rf penetration depth. Accordingly, the performance of Nb SRF accelerator cavities is strongly impacted by the topmost few nanometers interior surface, especially as impacted by the final surface conditioning treatments.;Surface topography impacts performance through local loss of superconductivit caused by intrusion of the rf magnetic field, which is enhanced at sharp protrusions. "Sharpness" comprises both vertical and lateral aspects, requiring development a new characterization approach beyond the familiar roughness measurements (Ra, Rz), which view only the vertical component. Stylus profilomety and atomic force microscopy traces view surface topography from mm size to near atomic dimensions. Power spectral density analysis combines data across this whole dimensional scale, so that the effect of preparation variables on topography has been studied systematically for the first time.;Surface chemistry impacts performance through the presence of a complex surface oxide structure and the response of the surface to post-treatments, notably low temperature baking (e.g., 125??C, 24 hrs). Previous XPS studies consistently found that the surface chiefly comprises a few nm of Nb2O5 on top of Nb metal, with small amount of Nb suboxides near the interface. Efforts to unambiguously discern the variation of composition with depth in the surface region by angle-resolved XPS have been confounded by the effect of surface roughness. The problem was avoided here by, for the first time, using a synchrotron source to vary x-ray photon energy at fixed take-off angle, obtaining a range of sample depths in a fixed column of material spanning the oxide layer thickness. One result is that variation of etching practice chiefly affects the thickness of the top Nb2O5 layer, but the sub-oxide accommodation zone at the interface remains substantially constant. A second is that low temperature baking in vacuum results in significant thinning and reduction of the oxide layer, which is completely recovered on subsequent air exposure without loss of the SRF performance improvement.;The effect of the most commonly employed treatment-BCP on polycrystalline niobium sheet over a range of realistic solution flow rates has been examined through multiple surface characterization techniques. The surface exhibits micron-scale roughness, whose extent does not change with treatment conditions. The outermost surface consists of a few-nm thick layer of Nb2O5, whose thickness increases with solution flow rate to a maximum of 1.3∼1.4 times that resulting from static solution.;Electropolishing is believed to be an effective technique to treat niobium cavity surfaces for achieving reproducibly high performance SRF cavities. However the operation condition is basically optimized through practical processing. By using improved electrochemical techniques, the temperature, flow rate and HF concentration dependence of each potential were indentified. The first use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on this system was reported. EIS results are consistent with the compact salt film mechanism for niobium electropolishing in hydrofluoric sulfuric acid electrolyte and do not supports either the porous salt film or the absorbate-acceptor mechanism.

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