Thesis (M. Arch.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaf [29]). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1992. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 23). Also available via the Internet.

This research project examines the potential of gleaned material fragments to inform a practice of designing artefacts for production. The project presents processes of working with material fragments in the context of newly designed artefact examples to demonstrate a capacity to explore and apply the expressive potential of material within my design practice.

No description available.

Model peptides were designed, synthesized and conducted a detailed structure-property study to unravel the molecular mechanism of goose eggshell calcification. The peptides were designed based on the primary structural features of the eggshell matrix proteins ansocalcin and OC-17. In vitro CaCO₃ crystal growth experiments in presence of these peptides showed calcite crystal aggregation as observed in the case of the parent protein ansocalcin. The structure of these peptides in solution was established using intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence studies and quasi-elastic light scattering experiments. The structural features are correlated with observed results of the in vitro crystallization studies. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

No description available.

No description available.

AFRIKAANS: Daar word vasgestel dat Eskom 'n probleem met die spitsverbruik van elektristeit deur die stedelike huishoudelike sektor ondervind en dat die bewoners nie binnenshuise termiese gemak in hul huise ervaar nie. Albei hierdie probleme kan moontlik verminder word deur gebruik te maak van passiewe sonenergieontwerpbeginsels by die ontwerp van huise. Suid-Afrika het 12 klimaatstreke, elk met 'n eie termiese gemaksone waarbinne die bewoners gerieflik kan wees. Die vraag ontstaan of die huise in hierdie streke ontwerp word sodat toestande binne die termiese gemaksone gehou word. Die ontwerpnorme wat deur argitekte in die verskillende klimaatstreke gebruik word, word met die toepaslike Iiteratuur vergelyk en daar word vasgestel dat argitekte nie klimaatstreke en seisoene in ag neem wanneer huise ontwerp word nie. Volgens die argitekte ervaar die bewoners wel binnenshuise termiese gemak. 'n Geografiese Inligtinstelsel word gebruik om die gewenste dT-waardes en maksimum toelaatbare amplitudeverhoudings vir elke klimaatstreek vir somer- en wintertoestande te bepaal. Die bogenoemde twee faktore kan nie onafhanklik van mekaar beskou word wanneer hulle gebruik word vir die aanbeveling van ontwerpnorme vir huise in die verskillende kJimaatstreke nie. ENGLISH: It has been identified that Eskom experiences a problem with urban households' peak hour electricity consumption and that residents do not experience indoor thermal comfort. Both problems could possibly be mitigated by the use of solar passive design principles for houses. South Africa has 12 climatic regions each with its own thermal comfort zone within which indoor thermal comfort can be experienced by residents. The question that is raised is, whether South African houses are designed in order to achieve thermal comfort. During the study the design standards used by architects are compared with those proposed in the relevant literature to obtain thermal comfort. It is determined that architects do not take climatic regions and seasons into consideration when designing houses but according to the architects residents do experience indoor thermal comfort. A Geographical Information System is used to determine the strictest dT values and amplitude ratios for every climatic region in summer and winter. The abovementioned factors can not be used independently when suggesting standards for the design of houses. / Dissertation (MSc (Applied Science))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

Measurement error (ME) in the factor levels of designed experiments is often overlooked in the planning and analysis of experimental designs. A familiar model for this type of ME, called the Berkson error model, is discussed at length. Previous research has examined the effect of Berkson error on two-level factorial and fractional factorial designs. This dissertation extends the examination to designs for second order models. The results are used to suggest optimal values for axial points in Central Composite Designs. The proper analysis for experimental data including ME is outlined for first and second order models. A comparison of this analysis to a typical Ordinary Least Squares analysis is made for second order models. The comparison is used to quantify the difference in performance of the two methods, both of which yield unbiased coefficient estimates. Robustness to misspecification of the ME variance is also explored. A solution for experimental planning is also suggested. A design optimality criterion, called the DME criterion, is used to create a second-stage design when ME is present. The performance of the criterion is compared to a D-optimal design augmentation. A final comparison is made between methods accounting for ME and methods ignoring ME. / Ph. D.

Redox cofactors and amino-acid free radicals play important roles in biology. Although many of the same cofactors and amino acids that form these radicals are found across a broad range of biological systems, identical cofactors can have different reduction potentials. The local environment plays a role in defining these redox potentials. An understanding of this local-environment effect can shed more light on how redox chemistry works in nature. Our laboratory has developed a library of model proteins that are well suited to study amino-acid radicals. a3X is a de novo designed protein that is composed of 67 residues. It forms a three-helix bundle connected by two glycine loops. The radical site is located at position 32 on the central a-helix. The a3X protein is designed to be well-folded and thermodynamically stable across a broad pH range. Paper 1 describes the structural and electrochemical characterization of a3Y, a tyrosine variant of a3X. We were able to obtain a unique Faradaic response from Y32 at both low and high pH, using differential pulse voltammetry. In addition, we successfully redesigned α3Y by introducing a histidine in close proximity to Y32, creating a tyrosine/histidine pair. Our goal in creating this pair was to study proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) in a well-structured and solvent-sequestered protein environment.  In paper 2 we illustrated the redox reversibility of Y32 and produced the first ever Pourbaix diagram for a tyrosine radical in a protein. The formal potential of the Y32-OŸ/Y32-OH redox couple was determined to be 918 ± 2 mV vs. the normal hydrogen electrode (NHE) at pH 8.40.  While at pH 5.52, the formal potential of the Y32-OŸ/Y32-OH redox couple was recorded at 1.07 V. Papers 3 and 4 utilize a3W to study cation-π interactions. In paper 3, we showed how solvation can affect the strength of these interactions by -0.9 kcal/mol. In Paper 4, we were able to monitor the disruption of the cation-π interaction with the use of high-pressure fluorescence and were able to calculate the interaction energy for a solvent exposed cation-π. The aim of the work described in this thesis was to use model proteins to study tyrosine radicals to gain a broader perspective and better understanding of the versatility of biological electron transfer and to measure cation-π interactions and how they behave in different environments. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>