Hypolimnetic oxygen diffusers increase sediment oxygen demand (SOD) and, if not accounted for in design, can further exacerbate anoxic conditions. A study using extracted sediment cores, that included both field and laboratory experiments, was performed to investigate SOD kinetics in Carvin's Cove Reservoir, a eutrophic water supply reservoir for Roanoke, Virginia. A bubble-plume diffuser is used in Carvin's Cove to replenish oxygen consumed while the reservoir is thermally stratified. The applicability of zero-order, first-order, and Monod kinetics to describe transient and steady state SOD was modeled using analytical and numerical techniques. Field and laboratory experiments suggested that first-order kinetics characterize Carvin's Cove SOD. SOD calculated from field experiments reflected diffuser flow changes. Laboratory experiments using mini-diffusers to vary dissolved oxygen concentration and turbulence were conducted at 4°C and 20°C. Similar to field observations, the laboratory results followed changes in mini-diffuser flow. Kinetic-temperature relationships were also observed in the laboratory experiments. A definitive conclusion could not be made on the broad applicability of first-order kinetics to Carvin's Cove SOD due to variability within field experiments. However, in situ experiments are underway that should assist in the overall understanding of the reservoir's SOD kinetics. / Master of Science

<p>This project is focused on the presentation of the Namibia Zero Order Stations, including the descriptions of the 21 stations across the country and to create information site for Directorate of Survey and Mapping in Namibia. The main reason for the implementation of web site is for the distribution of information and data to domestic and international clients. Most of the materials and information used in this project were available in digital format. Some information was collected from Directorate of Survey and Mapping of Namibia, Swedesurvey of Sweden, and Asci of Sweden as well as from the internet and library facilities. As such it was very important to analyse and display geo-spatial data before creating web site. The computer makes it possible to create a link between filed documents, maps, graphic documents and other related information using hyperlinking. Therefore the computer made the world easier to communicate and mapping via internet.</p>

As the increasing demand for high data-rate multimedia servicesin wireless broadband access, the advance wireless communication technologies have been developed rapidly. The Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is the new standard for wireless broadband access recently specified by the 3GPP(3rd Generation Partnership Project) on the way towards the fourth-generation mobile. In this thesis, we are interested in the 3GPP-LTE technology and focus on the turbo coding technique used therein. By employing MATLAB/Simulink, we build up the turbo codec simulation platform for 3GPP-LTE system. Two convolutional encoders that realize the concept of parallel concatenated convolutional codes (PCCCs) and a quadratic permutation polynomial (QPP) interleaver are used to implement the turbo encoder. The a posteriori probability (APP) decoder built-in Simulink is utilized to design the decoder that performs the soft-input and soft-output Viterbi Algorithm (SOVA). The zero-order hold block is used to control the number of decoding iteration for the iterative decoding process. We carry out the 3GPP-LTE turbo codec performance in the AWGN channel on the developed platform. Various cases that consider different data length, the number of decoding iteration, interleaver and decoding algorithm are simulated. The simulation results are compared to those of the Xilinx 3GPP-LTE turbo codec. The comparisons show that our turbo codec works properly and meets the LTE standard.

This project is focused on the presentation of the Namibia Zero Order Stations, including the descriptions of the 21 stations across the country and to create information site for Directorate of Survey and Mapping in Namibia. The main reason for the implementation of web site is for the distribution of information and data to domestic and international clients. Most of the materials and information used in this project were available in digital format. Some information was collected from Directorate of Survey and Mapping of Namibia, Swedesurvey of Sweden, and Asci of Sweden as well as from the internet and library facilities. As such it was very important to analyse and display geo-spatial data before creating web site. The computer makes it possible to create a link between filed documents, maps, graphic documents and other related information using hyperlinking. Therefore the computer made the world easier to communicate and mapping via internet.

No description available.

Chronic diseases can often be managed by constantly delivering therapeutic amounts of drug for prolonged periods. A controlled release for extended duration would replace the need for multiple and frequent dosing. Local drug release would provide added benefit as a lower dose of drug at the target site will be needed as opposed to higher doses required by whole body administration. This would provide maximum efficacy with minimum side effects. Nonetheless, a problem with the known implantable drug delivery devices is that the delivery rate cannot be controlled, which leads to drug being released in an unpredictable pattern resulting in poor therapeutic management of patients. This dissertation is the result of development of an implantable drug delivery system that is capable of long-term zero order local release of drugs. The device can be optimized to deliver any pharmaceutical agent for any time period up to several years maintaining a controlled and desired rate. Initially significant efforts were dedicated to the characterization, biocompatibility, and loading capacity of nanoporous metal surfaces for controlled release of drugs. The physical characterization of the nanoporous wafers using Scanning electron microscropy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy techniques (AFM) yielded 3.55 x 10⁴ nm³ of pore volume / μm² of wafer surface. In vitro drug release study using 2 - octyl cyanoacrylate and methyl orange as the polymer-drug matrix was conducted and after 7 days, 88.1 ± 5.0 % drug was released. However, the initial goal to achieve zero order drug release rates for long periods of time was not achieved. The search for a better delivery system led to the design of a perforated microtube. The delivery system was designed and appropriate dimensions for the device size and hole size were estimated. Polyimide microtubes in different sizes (125-1000 μm) were used. Micro holes with dimensions ranging from 20-600 μm were fabricated on these tubes using photolithography, laser drilling, or manual drilling procedures. Small molecules such as crystal violet, prednisolone, and ethinyl estradiol were successfully loaded inside the tubes in powder or solution using manual filling or capillary filling methods. A drug loading of 0.05 – 5.40 mg was achieved depending on the tube size and the drug filling method used. The delivery system in different dimensions was characterized by performing in vitro release studies in phosphate buffered saline (pH 7.1-7.4) and in vitreous humor from the rabbit’s eye at 37.0 ± 1.0°C for up to four weeks. The number of holes was varied between 1 and 3. The tubes were loaded with crystal violet (CV) and ethinyl estradiol (EE). Linear release rates with R²>0.9900 were obtained for all groups with CV and EE. Release rates of 7.8±2.5, 16.2±5.5, and 22.5±6.0 ng/day for CV and 30.1±5.8 ng/day for EE were obtained for small tubes (30 μm hole diameter; 125 μm tube diameter). For large tubes (362-542 μm hole diameter; 1000 μm tube diameter), a release rate of 10.8±4.1, 15.8±4.8 and 22.1±6.7 μg/day was observed in vitro in PBS and a release rate of 5.8±1.8 μg/day was observed ex vivo in vitreous humor. The delivery system was also evaluated for its ability to produce a biologically significant amounts in cells stably transfected with an estrogen receptor/luciferase construct (T47D-KBluc cells). These cells are engineered to produce a constant luminescent signal in proportion to drug exposure. The average luminescence of 1144.8±153.8 and 1219.9±127.7 RLU/day, (RLU = Relative Luminescence Units), yet again indicating the capability of the device for long-term zero order release. The polyimide device was characterized for biocompatibility. An automated goniometer was used to determine the contact angle for the device, which was found to be 63.7±3.7degreees indicating that it is hydrophilic and favors cell attachment. In addition, after 72 h incubation with mammalian cells (RAW 267.4), a high cell distribution was observed on the device’s surface. The polyimide tubes were also investigated for any signs of inflammation using inflammatory markers, TNF-α and IL-1β. No significant levels of either TNF-α or IL-1β were detected in polyimide device. The results indicated that polyimide tubes were biocompatible and did not produce an inflammatory response. / text

MSc (Med),Dept of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / Pain is the net effect of multidimensional mechanisms that engage most parts of the central nervous system (CNS) and the treatment of pain is one of the key challenges in clinical medicine (Le Bars et al., 2001; Miranda et al., 2008). Polypharmacy is seen as a barrier to analgesic treatment compliance, signifying the necessity for the development of fixed dose combinations (FDCs), which allow the number of tablets administered to be reduced, with no associated loss in efficacy or increase in the prevalence of side effects (Torres Morera, 2004). FDCs of analgesic drugs with differing mechanisms of nociceptive modulation offer benefits including synergistic analgesic effects, where the individual agents act in a greater than additive manner, and a reduced occurrence of side-effects (Raffa, 2001; Camu, 2002). This study aimed at producing a novel, rate-modulated, fixed-dose analgesic formulation for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. The fixed-dose combination (FDC) rationale of paracetamol (PC), tramadol hydrochloride (TM) and diclofenac potassium (DC) takes advantage of previously reported analgesic synergy of PC and TM as well as extending the analgesic paradigm with the addition of the anti-inflammatory component, DC. The study involved the development of a triple-layered tablet delivery system with the desired release characteristics of approximately 60% of the PC and TM being made available within 2 hours to provide an initial pain relief effect and then sustained zero-order release of DC over a period of 24 hours to combat the on-going effects of any underlying inflammatory conditions. The triple-layered tablet delivery system would thus provide both rapid onset of pain relief as well as potentially address an underlying inflammatory cause. The design of a novel triple-layered tablet allowed for the desired release characteristics to be attained. During initial development work on the polymeric matrix it was discovered that only when combined with the optimized ratio of the release retarding polymer polyethylene oxide (PEO) in combination with electrolytic-crosslinking activity, provided by the biopolymer sodium alginate and zinc gluconate, could the 24 hour zero-order release of DC be attained. It was also necessary for this polymeric matrix to be bordered on both sides by the cellulosic polymers containing PC and TM. Thus the application of multi-layered tableting technology in the form of a triple-layered tablet were capable of attaining the rate-modulated release objectives set out in the study. The induced barriers provided by the three layers also served to physically separate TM and DC, reducing the likelihood of the bioavailability-diminishing interaction noted in United States Patent 6,558,701 and detected in the DSC analysis performed as part of this study. The designed system provided significant flexibility in modulation of release kinetics for drugs of varying solubility. The suitability of the designed triple-layered tablet delivery system was confirmed by a Design of Experiments (DoE) statistical evaluation, which revealed that Formulation F4 related closest to the desired more immediate release for PC and TM and the zero-order kinetics for DC. The results were confirmed by comparing Formulation F4 to typical release kinetic mechanisms described by Noyes-Whitney, Higuchi, Power Law, Pappas-Sahlin and Hopfenberg. Using f1 and f2 fit factors Formulation F4 compared favourably to each of the criteria defined for these kinetic models. The Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatographic (UPLC) assay method developed displayed superior resolution of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) combinations and the linearity plots produced indicated that the method was sufficiently sensitive to detect the concentrations of each API over the concentration ranges studied. The method was successfully validated and hence appropriate to simultaneously detect the three APIs as well as 4-aminophenol, the degradation product related to PC. Textural profile analysis in the form of swelling as well as matrix hardness analysis revealed that an increase in the penetration distance was associated with an increase in hydration time of the tablet and also an increase in gel layer thickness. The swelling complexities observed in the delivery system in terms of both the PEO, crosslinking sodium alginate and both cellulose polymers as well as the actuality of the three layers of the tablet swelling simultaneously suggests further intricacies involved in the release kinetics of the three drugs from this tablet configuration. Modified release dosage forms, such as the one developed in this study, have gained widespread importance in recent years and offer many advantages including flexible release kinetics and improved therapy and patient compliance.

This paper presents the computer simulation results on the delivery of Etanidazole (radiosensitiser) to the brain tumor and examines several factors affecting the delivery. The simulation consists of a 3D model of tumor with poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) wafers of 1% Etanidzole loading implanted in the resected cavity. A zero-order release device will produce a concentration profile in the tumor which increases with time until the drug in the carrier is depleted. This causes toxicity complications during the later stages of drug treatment. However, for wafers of similar loading, such release results in a higher drug penetration depth and therapeutic index as compared to the double drug burst profile. The numerical accuracy of the model was verified by the similar results obtained in the two-dimensional and three-dimensional models. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) which utilizes transition metal based catalysts is a versatile methodology for the synthesis of a wide spectrum of polymers with controlled architectures. However, high concentrations of soluble catalyst required in an ATRP process makes the final polymer colored and toxic. Thus, the catalyst removal/reduction/recycling remains a challenge in the field of ATRP. Supported catalysts on insoluble solids such as silica gel, polystyrene beads, etc. have been used in ATRP to facilitate the catalyst recovery and recycling. However, the ability of the supported catalysts to mediate a polymerization is substantially reduced due to their reduced mobility and leaching problems. In this thesis, we report a series of novel and recyclable physisorbed CuBr2/N, N, N’, N’’-pentamethyldiethylene-triamine supported catalytic systems operating in conjunction with hydration. Supported aqueous-phase catalysis (SAPC) for ATRP was evaluated for different inorganic (Na-clay, silica and zeolite) and organic (polysaccharides) supports. The hydrated physisorbed supported catalysts were used for the polymerization of benzyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate using an activator generated electron transfer ATRP process. The catalyst was effectively retained on the surface of supports through hydration as was verified by UV-Vis measurements. The supported catalyst was easily removed from the polymerization by simple filtration process affording a colorless polymer solution. The polymerizations produced high conversion and colorless polymers with moderately narrow polydispersity indices (PDI). The catalyst maintained high activity during the recycling experiments. We also investigated the kinetic and mechanistic behavior of these solid supported polymerization systems. Based on split kinetics experiments and UV-Vis studies it was believed that the activation and deactivation processes took place at the diffused hydrated interface between the solid support and organic phase. The branched (stars and graft) polymers were also synthesized using Na-clay supported catalyst. The produced polymers had narrow PDI and good initiator efficiencies. The functionality of the star polymers was confirmed using 1H NMR and dilute solution properties. The synthesis of graft-copolymer was confirmed by 1H NMR and atomic force microscopy. This thesis demonstrates the successful use of SAPC for ATRP to produce contamination free linear and branched polymers with moderately narrow PDI and high recycling efficiency.

The problem of zero order diffraction (ZOD) in the computer generated hologram (CGH) is a commonly reported issue in employing computer generated hologram (CGH) systems. Failing to remove the zero order diffraction in either far-field or near-field region limits the display region or even worse, can destroy the reconstructed image. Therefore, the elimination of the ZOD is higly desired. The proposed new techniques to suppress the ZOD are the backbone of this thesis. We investigated ZOD sources in two different CGH systems and suggested different methods to remove the ZOD in each system. Two types of spatial light modulator (SLM) were employed for different type of CGHs, including a phase-only SLM and a binary amplitude-only SLM. All the proposed methods were examined with either simulation and experimental tests. For amplitude-only experiments, the ZOD suppression reached a factor of 3. Image quality and diffraction efficiency were also investigated for the proposed methods. / text