Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) are one of major classes of organic pollutants that transport through air-sea exchange in the environment. The objectives of this study were to quantify the PAHs concentrations in air and seawater and calcu-late the exchange fluxes by using Whitman¡¦s two-film mode. Spatial and temporal distributions were also determined through the sampling strategy of this study. In ad-dition, particulate concentrations in the ambient air were used to estimate the dry de-position fluxes of PAHs. Seasonal fluxes of PAHs in Gao-Ping coastal areas ranged from -2020 to +320 ng/m2day. The net gas exchange fluxes were negative (net absorption) in August, No-vember and March but positive (net volatilization) in May at Kaohsiung Harbor (KH), Off Shore (OFS) and Gao-ping River Estuary (GRE). Howerer negative exchange fluxes were found in each sampling month at Liu-Chiu Isle (LCI). In contrast, Lanyu Isle (LI) showed a different tend in exchange fluxes. It¡¦s exchange fluxes were all positive in each sampling month and ranged from the +121 to +1020 ng/m2day. Mostly the net fluxes of low molecular weight PAHs were volatile; while high molecular weight PAHs were absorptive. The compound with highest flux was mostly phenanthrene, therefore, it dominates the gas exchange fluxes in Gao-Ping coastal areas. The highest average net gas exchange fluxes among stations were observed at LCI (-1650 ng/m2day) and decreased in the following order: GRE (-932 ng/m2day), KH (-824 ng/m2day), OFS (-523 ng/m2day), LI (+358 ng/m2day). Dry particle deposi-tion fluxes were higher in November and March. The high molecular weight PAHs were found predominant in these particles. Even adding up with the wet deposition, the magnitude of total deposition fluxes(dry+wet) were still lower than those of gas exchange. Therefor, gas exchange is the main transport pathway for PAHs in Gao-Ping coastal areas. By identifying composition patterns of PAHs in each sample, source of PAHs in dissolved phase were mainly from traffic emission. However, KH is indicative of in-dustrial and petrogenic souces; while grass and wood combustion and petrogenic might be the dominant source of PAHs at LI. In gas phase, sources of PAHs were mostly from combustion, including traffic emission and diesel combustion. Finally, the transport pathway of the airflow was analyzed through back trajectory analysis. The results show that the PAH concentrations in gas phase might be affected by re-gional pollution in August and May, and long-rang atmospheric transport in March at Gao-Ping coastal areas and LI. Local origin was suggested for PAHs from Gao-Ping coastal areas in November and March.

The characteristics of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and the variation of the gas-particle partitioning of PCDD/Fs near two municipal solid waste incinerators (MSWIs) located in southern Taiwan were investigated. In order to better understand the mechanism of dry deposition, the atmospheric dry deposition flux and velocity of PCDD/Fs were calculated. It was found that the mean atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations (0.0348-0.106 pg I-TEQ/Nm3) were comparable to those detected in the vicinity of MSWIs in Taiwan, but significantly lower than those in a highly industrialized urban area (0.150 pg I-TEQ/Nm3) located in southern Taiwan. The relatively higher atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations was found in winter than in summer. The calculated total dry deposition flux of PCDD/Fs ranged from 0.0274-0.718 ng I-TEQ/m2-month, and the atmospheric deposition flux in winter tended to be higher than those in summer. The results also indicated that dry deposition velocities of atmospheric particles for each month ranged from 0.52-0.91 cm/s (mean = 0.63 cm/s) and 0.48-0.73 cm/s (mean = 0.55 cm/s) in sites A and B, respectively, which were similar to that for the ambient air near two MSWIs in Taiwan, but slightly higher than those in urban area of Korea. In addition, the dry deposition of PCDD/Fs was mainly contributed by particle-phase at both sampling areas during the estimated period. The above results demonstrated that the dominant mechanism of dry deposition was particle phase deposition. The annual variations of wet deposition of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in atmosphere were also measured at two sites (A and B). Results showed that particle scavenging dominates in the wet deposition processes for the removal of PCDD/Fs from the atmosphere, the highest value was observed at the highest chlorinated congener. The ambient temperature and the amount of precipitation played an important role in the variation of PCDD/F deposition fluxes. It was found that temperature was inversely associated with the existence of particulate PCDD/Fs, indicating PCDD/Fs are scavenged most efficiently in cold weather. PCDD/F wet deposition fluxes in rainy seasons (from June to August) were significantly higher than those in dry seasons (from December to February), revealing a positive relationship between wet deposition flux and monthly rainfall. Additionally, the annual total (dry + wet) deposition fluxes of PCDD/Fs were 149 ng/m2-year (5.02 ng I-TEQ/m2-year) and 177 ng/m2-year (5.11 ng I-TEQ/m2-year) for sites A and B, respectively, revealing that dry deposition was more dominant than the wet deposition for the atmospheric deposition of PCDD/Fs. Since atmospheric deposition is believed to be the main transfer pathway of PCDD/Fs into food chains, its impact on human exposure to PCDD/Fs is of great importance.

Launchers are military systems that are responsible for communication with munitions, safe seperation and aiming of rockets and missiles to the target. Since they are military equipments, they are used in harsh environments. One of the most important design considerations for military equipment is its maintability and one of the most important parameter which affects the maintability is wear in launchers. Therefore, for predicting the life-time of a launcher, wear should be investigated beside other parameters such as fatigue etc. This thesis study includes experimental and modeling study about dry sliding wear in some mechanical parts of a typical rail launcher that is used in helicopters. Firstly, measurements about the material loss, which is generated during firing of missiles, were made on launcher components which have interfaces with missile. Then, these results were used to simulate the wear phenomenon by using a commercial finite element program, ANSYS. By the help of finite element model, crack initiation period depending on wear is tried to be evaluated without making additional firing tests.

The oxidative damage to DNA, protein and lipid, may be accumulated and play a role in the process of human cell aging. Oxidative stress may be due to the aerobic respiration and ozone-induced radiation which result in reactive oxygen species known as free radicals. Therefore, the antioxidant and free radical scanvenger which may reduce the oxidative damage, are of great interest, both in academic research and in the business world. The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidative potential of a very unique vegetable-fruit extract (Tsan-Ron-Bau-Yuan). The extract consists of over forty domestic vegetables and fruits, without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides during their entire growth period, is produced through a sophisticated freeze-dry technology. The anti-hydroxyl radical antioxidative potential were evaluated using the following four methods: (1) the plasmid DNA (2) the protein (3) the cell line and (4) the red blood cell . The results clearly demonstrat that the aqueous fraction of this extract can remarkably reduce the oxidative damage as evidenced by the DNA and protein model. In addition, the susceptibility of human red cells to oxidative stress can also be alleviated to some extents based on the RBC deformability studies. The efficacy of protection of the oxidative damage mediated by .OH generated by the Fenton¡¦s reaction was in the order of : aquaeous extract >100% ethanol extract > ethanol/ethylacetatee extract > 50% ethanol extract. Conversely, no significant protection to the action of hydrogen peroxide was observed in the cell line. Lysozyme which is ubiquitous among various natural products has negligible contribution as an antioxidant as revealed in the RBC deformability tests. Swine enzootic pneumoniae ¡]SEP¡^, is a disease caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection, and usually lead to considerable economic loss. Though extensive research during the past years, the molecular mechanism about the infective pathway of M. hyopneumoniae was still elusive. The membrane proteins of this microorganism were considered as critical adhesion molecules and therefore are potential candidates for vaccine development. Through immunoscreening, we had isolated five recombinant phage clones expressing 10 kDa, 32 kDa, 36 kDa, 42 kDa and 60 kDa antigen proteins from the lEMBL3 library of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. The clone carrying the P42 gene was subcloned and further characterized as a heat shock protein gene. In the present study, the heat-shock protein gene encoding a 42 kDa/ 65 kDa protein¡]P42/P65¡^was cloned into the mammalian expression vector pcDNA3 and obtained plasmid pcDNA42. The immune response induced by pcDNA42 was evaluated in mice. The IgG titer was obviously elevated during the first eight weeks with the IgG1 titer slightly higher than IgG2a. However, the IgM titer was not changed signifcantly. Studies on the macrophage activity and T cell cytotoxity were still undergoning.

This study utilizes a modified LIGA process to fabricate a high aspect ratio aspherical micro lens array, which improves low light output of OLED due to its intrinsic total internal reflection. Presently typical OLED extraction efficiency is not high. How to increase OLED extraction efficiency is a valuable topic to discuss. This study analyzes related parameters that influence the formation of micro lenses, for example, the influence of variation of diametric dimension, dry etching parameters and electroforming rate. The experimental results indicate that the tolerance of dimensional variation of the diameter is about 5% during the thermal reflow and dry etching stage. The oxygen content and the photoresist surface during dry etching influence the result. A high electroforming rate is helpful for covering the surface defects on photoresist. An undercut caused by dry etching will discontinue the initial electroformed layers. A apherical microens array can raise the luminance to a maximum of 15 times higher.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Riverside, 2009. / Includes abstract. Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Title from first page of PDF file (viewed March 20, 2010). Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Acropora cervicornis was once one of the dominant reef building corals of the Caribbean, Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas (DRTO), but since the 1970’s populations have been decimated throughout their geographic range. Recently, a repopulation was documented through detailed benthic surveys conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey at three locations (Pulaski Shoal, East Key, and Loggerhead Key) within DRTO. Benthic surveys using the U.S Geological Survey’s Along-Track Reef Imaging System (ATRIS) revealed hundreds of previously undocumented colonies. These discoveries have provided a unique data-set, allowing a comparison between the historical (1883, 1976) and contemporary distributions (2009, 2011) of A. cervicornis. Kernel density estimates were used to analyze shifts in high density areas and non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance tests were used to analyze differences between years in location and extent of the distribution. The results from the KDEs indicated high density areas have shifted among year’s at all three study areas. The comparison of the location and extent of the historical and modern A. cervicornis distributions revealed similarities and differences among years that varied among the study areas. This information is important to the management of this species because it provides vital information on the extent and location of the current distribution relative to historical levels. This study also provides documentation of the population dynamics and ecosystem changes over large time scales within the DRTO region. The above mentioned dataset was also used in a second study to quantify 1) variations in density among factors such as location (study area), suitable habitat type, and water depth, 2) overall spatial population patterns, and 3) spatial patterns in A. cervicornis density. Results indicated population structure was significantly clustered (P = 0.001) at Pulaski Shoal and Loggerhead Key with areas containing hotspots or significantly higher density (P < 0.05). Although significant hotspots existed, density did not significantly differ among suitable habitat types. Compared to all other factors, water depth had the largest effect on the variation in mean density of A. cervicornis. These findings are vital to understanding the recovery of this species in terms of current habitat and depth associations.

Recently, the portfolio of compounds approved for inhalation therapy has expanded rapidly for lung disease therapies. The rationale for this delivery approach includes a more targeted and localized delivery to the diseased site with reduced systemic exposure, potentially leading to decreased adverse side effects. We have proposed that brittle matrix powders prepared by thin film freezing (TFF) are a suitable platform for pulmonary drug delivery which can achieve high lung concentrations while limit the corresponding systemic levels associated with toxicity, and enhanced physicochemical and aerodynamic properties can be obtained by varying TFF processing parameters. In Chapter 2, the in vitro and in vivo performance of an amorphous formulation prepared by TFF and a crystalline micronized formulation produced by milling was compared for Tacrolimus (TAC). TFF processed matrix powders was capable of achieving deep lung delivery due to its low density, highly porous and brittle characteristics. When emitted from a Miat® monodose inhaler, TFF processed TAC formulations exhibited a fine particle fraction (FPF) of 83.3% and a mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 2.26 µm. Single dose 24-h pharmacokinetic studies in rats demonstrated that the TAC formulation prepared by TFF exhibited higher pulmonary bioavailability with a prolonged retention time in the lung, possibly due to decreased clearance (e.g., macrophage phagocytosis), compared to the micronized TAC formulation. Additionally, TFF formulation generated a lower systemic TAC concentration with smaller variability than the micronized formulation following inhalation, potentially leading to reduced side effects related to the drug in systemic circulation. Chapter 3 investigated the impact of processing parameters in the TFF process on the physicochemical and aerodynamic properties of the resulting formulations. All of these enhanced powder properties resulted from higher freezing rate contributed to a better aerodynamic performance of the obtaining formulations. Moreover, a decreasing trend of FPF was observed for these TFF powders when the initial solid concentrations increased. The variation of the freezing rate and initial solid loading in the TFF process enabled the production of formulations with enhanced physicochemical properties and improved aerodynamic performance. / text

Traditional in-situ soil compaction monitoring methods are often limited in their application, thus quality control of compacted fills and roadway embankments remains a challenging problem. As a result, new methods are being developed to more accurately measure in-situ compaction parameters. Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is one such method. Several advances have been made over the past few years to further the use of TDR technology in water content and density measurement of compacted fill. The one-step method relies on the measurement of the apparent dielectric constant in conjunction with the bulk electrical conductivity, and correlates them through two soil-specific constants, f and g. The two measurements, together with other soil specific constants, are then used to back calculate the water content and density in a single step. However, questions remain regarding the accuracy and bias of TDR measurements in relation to other "established" in-situ procedures such as the nuclear gage and speedy moisture. Results from an experimental program to obtain calibration constants for typical sands used in roadway construction are presented. A number of side-by-side tests are performed to compare the measurements obtained using the TDR one-step method to those obtained form other methods. Conducting such side-by-side tests is a critical step in the progress and eventual widespread usage of the one-step method. In addition, all the results are compared against an independent measurement of the in-place density from a slurry-replacement method. The objective of the independent measurement is to provide a baseline for accurate and unbiased evaluation of TDR and other technologies.

The aim of this research was to develop and fully investigate a novel method of antibiotic drug delivery to the lung that will address problems with current therapeutic regimens for treatment of airway infections. To demonstrate the performance of prepared formulations, the design of suitable characterization methods were also aimed. A novel dissolution method for evaluating the in vitro dissolution behavior of inhalation formulations was developed. The membrane holder was designed to enclose previously air-classified formulations so that they could be uniformly tested in the dissolution apparatus. Dissolution procedures, the apparatus, the dose collection, the medium, and test conditions were developed and the dissolution behaviors of test compounds were evaluated by experimental and mathematical analysis. It was proved that the aerodynamic separation of formulation prior to dissolution assessment have a significant influence on the dissolution profiles. The optimized test method using the membrane holder was applied to evaluate in vitro dissolution profiles of the manufactured formulations of rifampicin (RF). The carrier/excipient-free RF dry powder formulation was investigated. The rifampicin dihydrate (RFDH) powders having MMAD of 2.2 um were prepared using a simple recrystallization process. The RFDH powders have a thin flaky structure, and this unique morphology provides improved aerosolization properties at maximal API loading. The manufactured RFDH formulation showed 80% drug release within 2 hours. To retard the release rate of RF, the prepared RFDH crystals were coated with hydrophobic polymer, PLA or PLGA, using spray-dryer equipped with multi-channel spray nozzles. The multi-channel spray nozzle used in this study has two separate nozzles for aqueous solution and one for gas fluid. The RFDH crystals and the coating solutions were sprayed through the two separate liquid nozzles at the same time. The coated RFDH formulations were prepared using multi-channel spray nozzles. The coated formulations contained at least 50% w/w of RF with no change of their flaky morphology. The initial RF release was lowered by coating; the lowest initial RF release was observed from the coated powders with PLA polymer as 32% among the coated formulations. Overall, the 80% of RF was released within 8 hours. The RFDH and coated RFDH formulations delivered via the pulmonary route would be anticipated to provide higher local (lung) drug concentrations than that of orally delivered powders. Particularly, the coated RFDH powders deposited in the alveolar region may prolong the drug residence time in the site of infections. Additionally, it was proved that the RFDH and coated RFDH formulations provided much better stability than the amorphous RF. / text