Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Physics." Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-119).

The correlation function is the critical ingredient for Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) sum-rule methods that are used to predict hadronic properties. Thus, in order to perform a sum-rule analysis of hybrids, we need to compute a correlation function involving an operator that probes hybrid states composed to quark-antiquark pair with a gluonic excitation. Using particular combinations of quark and gluon fields and Dirac matrices, we construct currents that probe hybrid states with various J^{PC} quantum numbers. We compute the correlation function to order g_s^3 in QCD, obtaining both perturbative and condensate contributions. The focus here is on light quarkonium and strangeonium hybrids, which involve quark masses small compared to the external momentum scale (m_q^2 << Q^2). While for light quarkonium the calculations are performed in the massless limit, for strangeonium we include a strange quark mass correction to the perturbative result. While the details of the calculations outlined throughout this thesis are outlined for J^{PC} = 0^{+-} and 1^{--} due to interest in the exotic quantum numbers 0^{+-}, ultimately the correlation function is computed for all J^{PC} values with J=0,1. Comparison with existing results for a subset of these J^{PC} quantum numbers provides a validation of our calculations.

This thesis describes the development of a new type of sensor for nitric oxide (NO) that can be used in a variety of combustion diagnostics and control applications. The sensor utilizes the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the NO molecule to determine the concentration via optical absorption spectroscopy. UV radiation at 226.8 nm is generated by sum frequency mixing the outputs from a 395-nm external cavity diode laser (ECDL) and a 532-nm diode-pumped, intracavity frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser in a beta-barium borate (BBO) crystal. This radiation is used to probe the (v'=0, v"=0) band of the Α*Σ+ - Χ*π electronic transition of NO. The ECDL is tuned so that the UV radiation is in resonance with a specific energy level transition, and it is then scanned across the transition to produce a fully resolved absorption spectrum. Preliminary experiments were performed in a room-temperature gas cell in the laboratory to determine the accuracy of the sensor. Results from these experiments indicated excellent agreement between theoretical and experimental absorption line shapes as well as NO concentrations. Further experiments were performed at two actual combustion facilities to demonstrate the operation of the sensors in realistic combustion environments. Tests on a gas turbine auxiliary power unit (APU) at Honeywell Engines and Systems and on a well-stirred reactor (WSR) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base produced excellent results despite the harsh temperatures and vibrations present. Overall, the sensitivity was estimated to be 0.8 parts per million (ppm) of NO (at 1000 K) for a 1 meter path length and the measurement uncertainty was estimated to be ±10%.

Šiame darbe sprendžiamas multiplikatyviųjų funkcijų reikšmių sumavimo uždavinys. Nagrinėjama klasė , kuriai priklauso funkcijos, tenkinančios keletą sąlygų. Svarbiausia iš jų: . Čia C – konstanta, o M – pakankamai didelis, bet fiksuotas teigiamas realusis skaičius. Šios sąlygos prasmė: klasės funkcijos pirminių skaičių aibėje yra artimos vienetui. Darbe įrodyta teorema: jei , tai kai , teisinga asimptotinė formulė . Čia tam tikra konstanta, priklausanti nuo funkcijos . / The problem of an asymptotical behaviour of values of multiplicative functions is solved in this work. The class is defined with some conditions. The most important condition is: , C is a constant, M is a sufficiently large real positive number here. The following theorem is proved: if function belongs to the class then when . A constant depends on function .

A new interdisciplinary facet of chemistry has developed, as we attempt to comprehend complex interfacial phenomena in which ions play crucial roles. Understanding the mechanisms by which ions affect water at surfaces and interact with the molecules dissolved in it, pose a ubiquitous challenge with enormous implications for biological and physical sciences. These represent steps towards unraveling mechanisms in protein folding and crystallization, protein-protein interactions, enzymatic activity, implant biocompatibility, atmospheric chemistry phenomena, and even in more inorganic processes like metal oxide dissolution and corrosion; all of them fundamental technological challenges. In this thesis, the specific ion effects on interfacial water structure adjacent to air/water and solid/water interfaces were explored using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy. At the air/water interface, monolayers of bovine serum albumin, elastin-like peptides, and surfactants, were analyzed in presence of subphases that consisted of different sodium salts and varying pH value. The results suggested that anions interact directly with the protein?s surface, and their effects on water structure are dominated by the charge state of the interfacial layer, rather than the detailed chemical structure of the macromolecules. At the solid/liquid interface, water structure at surfaces like quartz, octadecyltrichlorosilane-covered quartz, and titanium oxide, confirmed that the propensities of anions to adsorb at an interface are favored for more polarizable anions, following the Hofmeister order, and disproving the notion that the order of the interaction can be inverted with changes in charge sign or degree of hydrophobicity of the surface. Similarly, by analyzing interfacial water structure we performed one of the very first systematic studies on the interactions of cations with metal oxide surfaces. The results showed that specific cation effects were quite prominent at low concentration and high pH value, following a direct Hofmeister series, which can be explained in terms of charge density, polarizability, and basicity of the oxide surfaces. Our findings are of interest, since they provide with essential information not only to understand protein phenomena associated with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer, but also by proving the generality of ion interactions beyond biological, we can even influence the development of the next generations of microprocessors and beyond.

I internationella kunskapsmätningar har det framkommit att kunskapsnivå i matematik successivt har sjunkit hos svenska elever i förhållande till andra länder sedan mitten av 90-talet. Läsåret 2012/2013 var det drygt 92 procent av Sveriges elever i årskurs nio som fick ett godkänt betyg i matematik. När dessa elever kom till gymnasiet så var det endast något över 83 procent av eleverna som klarade ett godkänt resultat på det nationella provet i kursen Matematik 1b. Elever som inte uppnår läroplanens utbildningsmål har Särskilt utbildningsbehov i matematik (SUM). Syftet med denna studie är att utifrån SUM-elevers upplevelser av grundskolans och gymnasiets matematikundervisning få ökad kunskap om vad som påverkar elevernas möjligheter att klara matematiken på gymnasiet. Studien genomfördes i form av intervjuer med sju elever som kommit in på gymnasiet direkt från grundskolan med godkända betyg i ämnet matematik, men inte klarat kursen Matematik 1b under sitt första gymnasieår. Studiens resultat pekar på att relationen och kommunikationen mellan läraren och eleven är av stor betydelse för hur eleven upplever matematikundervisningen och i förlängningen också för elevens resultat. Det framkommer också att eleverna anser att den tid de får med sin lärare är av stor betydelse för måluppfyllelsen. Studien visar också att en proaktiv verksamhetskultur där skolor arbetar förebyggande skulle vara gynnsamt för att elever ska slippa uppleva misslyckanden. Eleverna menar att de måste se framsteg för att bli motiverade att arbeta vidare med matematiken. När dessa elever gick på grundskolan hade de tillgång till ett mer varierat utbud av stödformer än på gymnasiet. Klasstorleken var också mindre och lärartätheten högre. Det enda stöd som erbjudits på gymnasiet var en extra lektion varje vecka. Resultaten i undersökningen tyder på att en större individanpassning vid organisationen av matematikundervisningen och ett mer varierat utbud av stödinsatser skulle gagna gymnasieelevernas måluppfyllelse i matematik.

No description available.

The potential benefits that automation could bring to a wide variety of real-world tasks are numerous and well recognised. There has been significant research undertaken into automation in general, but for real-time automation of complex systems (involving complex geometries and dynamics) the problem is far from a solved one. One of the key tasks in a surface mining operation is that of using shovels or excavators to load material onto haul trucks for transportation. Since it is such a crucial task to a number of production cycles, it is a clear area where the productivity and safety benefits of automation could have a large impact. A number of projects are being undertaken concurrently to move towards first partial, and then full, automation of this mining subsystem. This thesis focusses on the collision avoidance problem, specifically on forming a collision hull that distinguishes between intersecting and non-intersecting configurations of two objects. Techniques from computer graphics are leveraged to develop a data structure that stores and organises relevant information about real-world systems for motion-planning tasks, ensuring that the necessary data is available and in a form suited to the task at hand. The Minkowski Sum operation, which can be used fairly directly to form the collision hull of two convex objects under translation, is extended to develop an operation to form the exact collision hull of two arbitrary objects to determine the applicability of such a scheme to complex systems in real-time. A level of detail solution is then proposed, where the Minkowski Hull of bounding hierarchies allows unnecessary parts of the hull to be calculated only in a coarse manner, thus offsetting a lot of the computational cost for any given test. This approach is investigated for both translational motion and joint-space motion. Collision detection is not collision avoidance, and so the algorithms developed in the thesis are tested in a number of applications, to demonstrate their suitability to the collision avoidance task. The applications (discrete collision prediction, visibility graph path planning, and the formulation of a Model Predictive Controller) are restricted versions of the true problems with some simplifying assumptions, but they show the algorithms to be capable both in their execution speed and the information that they provide.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [114]-116).

Students with learning difficulties in the area of mathematics often show a weak fundamental number sense, which can impact their abilities to reach their learning objectives in mathematics, if they are not given the appropriate support to develop to their full potential with consideration taken to their special needs. The focus of this study was to highlight how support teachers and specialists map these students fundamental number sense, as well as show how the additional support teaching is made out and individually developed. The research has been qualitative using semistructured interviews. The interviews were done in depth with five practicing specialist teachers, who all had different educational backgrounds and experience, but who were all specialists in teaching children with difficulties in the area of mathematics. The conclusions of the study shows that the persons interviewed was only able to some extent define some parts of the concept of number sense, but felt that it had a great significance for the students future learning process. In addition, the research also shows that the special teacher’s approach is largely depending on their own knowledge and competence, which can be seen as problematic since they may, as shown, not be able to define the relevant areas in number sense. In which way the interviewed persons work with these students is different in many ways and the importance of coordination and collaboration amongst the specialist teachers is of great importance in many aspects.