This thesis is to develop a new ocean-wave-energy acquisition system. This system is composed of a float plate, a buoy, a nearly resonant vibrator, a dynamotor, and an oil pressure system. The whole system can be divided into two sub-systems by its function: energy generation system or vibration reduction system. Each of them can generate energy from ocean wave and reduce the vibration of flow plate. After simplifying the dynamic model and optimization analysis, we will discuss with the influence of parameters on the amount of energy and the vibration reduction. Energy generation system want to the maximum power by optimizing system parameters (mass of the buoy, mass of the nearly resonant vibrator, the coefficient of spring, and the coefficient of generator). Here we will use four kinds of optimization methods. In the first three methods, we want to find the suitable parameters to make system to generate the maximum power at an operation of frequency wave. These three methods are different from the request of the relation phase of displacement between the buoy and the nearly resonant vibrator. The fourth method, we want to find the parameters of system, which can generate power evenly at each of frequency in a range of frequency wave motion. The work is done by searching for minimum variance of power. Vibration reduction system can reduce the vibration of float plate by optimizing parameter. After simplifying and making some assumptions, system can be simplified approximately to a vibration absorber at a specific frequency. There is no displacement at that frequency, but there are displacements on the other frequency of the operation range. In order to let system to apply properly in a range of frequency, we find the minimum one that is the maximum displacement in the range of frequency. After optimization design, we can get each result from these two sub-systems. From the first three methods of energy generation system, all energy distributes on the around of operation frequency. There are no frequencies on the others of the operation range. Moreover, the displacement of each body in this system is too large to apply. By the fourth method, energy-frequency curve is evenly on the operation range. Overall, the average of energy is larger than that of frequency of system whose design concept from first three methods. The displacements of each body in this system are small enough to apply. In vibration reduction system, we search the parameters in the optimization methods. The results show that vibration reduction just occurs around the operation frequency and the others in the range not

An investigation has been made of the role of the four disulfide bonds of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease in maintaining the protein in a biologically active form. Studies were carried out to determine the effect of reductive cleavage of these bonds on the ability of the enzyme to catalyze the hydrolysis of ribonucleic acid. The appearance of sulfhydryl groups was taken as evidence that reduction of the protein had occurred. <P> No significant reduction or loss of enzymic activity of ribonuclease could be demonstrated when the protein was treated with the reducing agents sodium or potassium borohydride in aqueous solution at room temperature,pH 8. <P> Thioglycolic acid was found to be an effective agent for reducing ribonuclease disulfide bonds. At room temperature, in an aqueous solution containing a Large excess of thioglycolate over protein, reduction proceeded slowly at pH 8. At the end of five hours, approximately one disulfide bond was broken, with the loss of 20 per cent of the original enzyme activity. The addition of urea greatly facilitated reduction. The rate of reduction was especially rapid in solutions of urea concentration greater than 4 molar. In 8 M urea at pH 8, treatment of ribonuclease with thioglycolate resulted in the complete loss of enzymic activity in one half hour, with the simultaneous rupture of two or three disulfide bonds. Under these conditions, maximum reduction was achieved in approximately two hours, with cleavage of between three and four disulfide bonds per molecule. In the pH range from 3 to 10, rate of activity loss was most rapid at pH 10, slightly less rapid at pH 3, and reached a minimum near pH 5. The effects of pH and urea were additive in that the maximum rate of inactivation occurred at pH 10 in 8 M urea (97 per cent activity loss in 10 minutes), and the minimum rate st pH 5 in the absence of urea (20 per cent loss in 28 hours). <P> Inactivation was markedly inhibited by phosphate ions. A solution of protein which was O.36 M in phosphate at pH 8 lost activity very slowly when treated with thioglycolic acid, even in the presence of 4 M urea. These findings, together with the observation of other workers that polyvalent ions such as phosphate reverse the denaturetion of ribonuclease in urea, suggest that phosphate inhibits reduction by stabilizing the protein in its native configuration, whereas urea facilitates reduction by denaturing the protein. <P> Air oxidation of fully or partially inactivated protein resulted, in some cases, in the recovery of up to 4O per cent of the enzyme activity which had been lost as a result of reduction. <P> The relation between loss of activity and reduction was analyzed by correlating the data obtained in those experiments in which both the sulfhydryl concentration and the enzymic activity of samples of modified protein were determined. The experiments were carried out under a variety of conditions of pH and urea concentration. On the basis of these data, it is concluded that the inactivation of thioglycolate-treated ribonuclease is probably not a unique function of extent of reduction, but depends in part on the method by which the reduction is achieved.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Dec. 21, 2009). "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Chemistry Department, University of Alberta." Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1976.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010. / Committee Chair: Bridgette Barry; Committee Member: Ingeborg Schmidt-Krey; Committee Member: Jake Soper; Committee Member: Nils Kroger; Committee Member: Wendy Kelly. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wyoming, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on June 28, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 189-202).

Despite the environmental significance of microbial manganese reduction, the molecular mechanism of microbial manganese respiration remains poorly understood. Soluble Mn(III) has been recently found to be a dominant soluble species in aquatic systems, yet little is known about the identity of microbial populations catalyzing Mn(III) reduction in the environment nor the molecular mechanism of Mn(III) respiration. In this research, a suite of Mn(III) reduction-deficient mutant strains were isolated, including Mn(III) reduction-deficient mutant strain Mn3-1 that also displayed the ability to reduce soluble organic-Fe(III), but not solid Fe(III) oxides, demonstrating for the first time that the reduction of soluble organic-Fe(III) and solid Fe(III) oxides proceed through electron transport pathways with at least one distinct component. This work also shows that the electron transport pathway for Mn(III) reduction in S. oneidensis shares many of the electron transport components of Fe(III) and Mn(IV) reduction pathways and that Mn(IV) reduction to Mn(II) proceeds step-wise through two one-electron transfer reactions with Mn(III) as a transient intermediate. Finally, sediment incubations were carried out to enrich for NH4+ oxidizing- Mn(III) reducing consortia. The Mn(III) reducing consortium was found to be dominated by an electrogenic Ochrobactrum sp. and a Shewanella sp. The isolated Shewanella strain is able to oxidize acetate with Mn(III) as electron acceptor, an activity never observed before in a metal-reducing member of the Shewanella genus.

An Examination of Budget Reductions in High-Wealth Property School Districts and Low-Wealth Property School District in Texas Dora E. Sauceda, Ed.D. The University of Texas at Austin, 2012 Supervisor: Julian Vasquez Heilig In June of 2011, The 82nd Legislature approved a reduction to Texas public education funding in upwards of $4 billion. Districts, regardless of wealth, responded by making budgetary reductions that affected personnel, programs, and services. The reduction in funding is expected to continue into the next biennium. This study examined the prioritization of budget reductions and process utilized by high-wealth and low-wealth property school districts to enact budget reductions to the various operating expenditures and the inequities that surfaced as a result of the reductions. The research questions included in the study were: 1. What budget-reduction options are prioritized at the district level for high-wealth property school districts versus low-wealth property school districts? 2. What budget-reduction process was utilized at the district level by high-wealth property school districts and low-wealth property school districts? 3. What district-level budget functions were slated for reduction at high-wealth property and low-wealth property school districts and what are the equity implications that surfaced as a result of the reductions? The study utilized a mixed-methods design. A 5-point Likert scale survey and semi-structured interview were used to examine the budget-reduction prioritization and process. An independent samples t-test was utilized to examine 2010-2011 and 2011- 2012 per-pupil expenditures by function (N=60). The sample included 30 high-wealth and 30-low-wealth school districts. The results of the qualitative data indicated that districts prioritize communication with stakeholders and school boards when deciding on budgetary reductions. Communication of the budget problem to all stakeholders was a high priority so as to ensure buy-in once decisions on budget reductions were made. The semi-structured interview revealed emergent themes that included maintaining the vision, transparency, stakeholder participation, equity, and impact of budget reductions. The t-test revealed statistical significance in the areas of instruction, security services, and payroll. The results also revealed that programs and services aimed at assisting the students with most need were either decreased or eliminated. Findings derived from this study will provide educational practitioners and policymakers with a conglomerate of information on how school-district leaders are examining their financial resources, areas designated for reduction, and areas they perceive as vital for preservation. / text

published_or_final_version / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy