Thesis advisor: Michael J. Naughton / In this dissertation I present studies of plasmonic interactions in different coupling regimes, from zero to strong coupling and approaching ultrastrong coupling. Different physics are manifest in each regime, with different possible applications. The first project uses finite element electromagnetic simulations to model plasmonic waveguides that couple near field light into the far-field for sub-diffraction limited microscopy. Wavelength/32 resolution is shown by minimizing coupling between adjacent waveguiding nanowires, with minimal attenuation over a few microns. The next two projects, by contrast, seek to maximize coupling between plasmons and excitons into the strong coupling regime where the optoelectronic properties are modified and quantum coherent phenomena may be observed. Strong exciton–plasmon coupling in MoS2 is shown experimentally at room temperature and found to be a general phenomenon in other semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides using transfer matrix modeling. A semiclassical oscillator model is fit to the experimental data to discover coherent hybridization between the ground and first excited states of MoS2. Enhanced coupling is found at the third excitonic transition, approaching the ultrastrong coupling regime where exotic properties are predicted to emerge, such as ground state virtual photons. Our strong coupling studies motivate further studies of the TMDCs as a platform for coherent quantum physics with possible applications in quantum computing and cryptography. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Physics.

The Logan River was used as a study site to assess the capabilities of two-dimensional depth-averaged hydraulic modeling in the x-y plane of a natural river for use with instream flow studies. Data were collected to spatially represent the study reach with depth, velocity, northing, easting, elevation, and substrate values using a total station and electronic velocity meter. Computational finite element meshes were generated using four different density levels of geometry data to examine the relationship between field data density and computational mesh on geometry errors. Geometry errors were found to be related to smoothing effects, which removed complex channel geometries while overall mesh geometry errors were related to data density in homogeneous versus heterogeneous channel conditions. Results indicate that required field data can be optimized with lower data densities in homogenous sections of the river channel. Of the two hydraulic models examined, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers RMA2 model could not be adequately calibrated given the high slope within the study reach and therefore all subsequent evaluations were made utilizing the CDG2D model. CDG2D model performance was best in the lower gradient sections of the test section at both calibrated and simulated flows with increasing errors for water surface and associated depth and velocity errors as channel gradient increased. These results suggest that additional research is needed to define limiting gradients under which application of this class of hydrodynamic model can be expected for practical instream flow assessments.

Efficient detection of image blur and its extent is an open research problem in computer vision. Image blur has a negative impact on image quality. Blur is introduced into images due to various factors including limited contrast, improper exposure time or unstable device handling. Toward this end, an algorithm is presented for image blur detection with the use of Two-Dimensional Haar Wavelet transform (2D HWT). The algorithm is experimentally compared with two other image blur detection algorithms frequently cited in the literature. When evaluated over a sample of images, the algorithm performed on par or better than the two other blur detection algorithms.

abstract: The study was to analyze the extent of bacterial transport in a two-dimensional tank under saturated conditions. The experiments were done in a 2-D tank packed with 3,700 in3 of fine grained, homogenous, chemically inert sand under saturated conditions. The tank used for transport was decontaminated by backwashing with 0.6% chlorine solution with subsequent backwashing with chlorine-neutral water (tap water and Na2S2O3) thus ensuring no residual chlorine in the tank. The transport of bacteria was measured using samples collected from ports at vertical distances of 5, 15 and 25 inches (12.7, 38.1 and 63.5 cm) from the surface of the sand on both sides for the 2-D tank. An influent concentration of 105 CFU/mL was set as a baseline for both microbes and the percolation rate was set at 11.37 inches/day using a peristaltic pump at the bottom outlet. At depths of 5, 15 and 25 inches, E. coli breakthroughs were recorded at 5, 17 and 28 hours for the ports on the right side and 7, 17 and 29 hours for the ports on the left sides, respectively. At respective distances Legionella breakthroughs were recorded at 8, 22 and 35 hours for the ports on the right side and 9, 24, 36 hours for the ports on the left side, respectively which is homologous to its pleomorphic nature. A tracer test was done and the visual breakthroughs were recorded at the same depths as the microbes. The breakthroughs for the dye at depths of 5, 15 and 25 inches, were recorded at 13.5, 41 and 67 hours for the ports on the right side and 15, 42.5 and 69 hours for the ports on the left side, respectively. However, these are based on visual estimates and the physical breakthrough could have happened at the respective heights before the reported times. This study provided a good basis for the premise that transport of bacterial cells and chemicals exists under recharge practices. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2019

Orientador: Aparecido Antonio Camacho / Resumo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a função miocárdica pela técnica de ecocardiografia bidimensional speckle tracking (2D STE) em pacientes submetidos à procedimentos anestésico prolongado, com a intenção de se detectar possível disfunção sistólica. Inicialmente para se determinar o intervalo normal da função sistólica na espécie, foram utilizados 31 coelhos da raça Nova Zelândia, adultos, hígidos, machos, com peso médio de 4,0 ± 0,53 kg, nos quais foram obtidos os índices sistólicos radiais como, velocidade rotacional e radial, deslocamento rotacional e radial, strain radial e strain rate radial. Posteriormente, para investigação da função sistólica sob diferentes modalidades ventilatórias, 32 coelhos foram distribuídos, aleatoriamente, em quatro grupos de modalidades ventilatórias diferentes constituídos de 8 animais cada, denominados grupo ventilação ciclada à pressão (GP), grupo ventilação ciclada à pressão associada à PEEP (GPP), grupo ventilação mandatória intermitente sincronizada (GM) e grupo ventilação espontânea (GE). Em todos os grupos, os parâmetros foram mensurados 40 minutos após a indução anestésica (M0) e reavaliados a cada vinte minutos, durante duas horas ininterruptas (M1, M2, M3 e M4). Portanto, o resultado demonstrados na presente investigação cientifica revelam que nenhuma modalidade ventilatória estudada proporcionou um quadro de disfunção sistólica a luz da técnica 2D STE quando foram comparados em cada momento de avaliação anestésica. / Abstract: The aim of this thesis was to investigate the cardiac function of patients undergoing prolonged anesthesia with the use of a two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D STE) technique to detect systolic dysfunction in order to maintain safety during anesthetic procedure. The study was carried out in healthy rabbits because this species is widely used as a model of experimentation for both humans and other animal species. Initially, the normal range of left ventricular radial systolic function was measured, for this purpose, 31 healthy male adults New Zealand rabbits were used, with average weight of 4.0 ± 0.53 kg, from a specialized producer; radial systolic indices were obtained, such as rotational and radial speed, rotational and radial displacement, radial strain and strain rate. Subsequently, 32 rabbits were randomly assigned to four groups of different ventilatory modalities consisting of 8 animals each, referred to as pressure-cycling ventilation group (GP), pressure-cycling ventilatory group associated with PEEP (GPP), synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation group (GM) and spontaneous ventilation group (GE). In all groups, the parameters were measured 40 minutes after anesthetic induction (M0) and reevaluated every twenty minutes, for two uninterrupted hours (M1, M2, M3 and M4). Therefore, the results demonstrated in the present scientific investigation reveal that no studied ventilatory modality provided a picture of systolic dysfunction in light of the 2D STE techni... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第18058号 / 理博第3936号 / 新制||理||1567(附属図書館) / 30916 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)准教授 池田 隆介, 教授 川上 則雄, 教授 石田 憲二 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第18121号 / 理博第3999号 / 新制||理||1576(附属図書館) / 30979 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科生物科学専攻 / (主査)准教授 土井 知子, 教授 七田 芳則, 教授 高田 彰二 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第19318号 / 工博第4115号 / 新制||工||1634(附属図書館) / 32320 / 京都大学大学院工学研究科合成・生物化学専攻 / (主査)教授 松田 建児, 教授 北川 進, 教授 杉野目 道紀 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第20154号 / 理博第4239号 / 新制||理||1610(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科数学・数理解析専攻 / (主査)教授 坂上 貴之, 教授 上田 哲生, 教授 國府 寛司 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(エネルギー科学) / 甲第21315号 / エネ博第371号 / 新制||エネ||73(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院エネルギー科学研究科エネルギー応用科学専攻 / (主査)教授 松田 一成, 教授 佐川 尚, 教授 大垣 英明 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Energy Science / Kyoto University / DFAM