The size distribution and strength of metallurgical coke are factors vital for the steady and high-efficiency operation of a blast furnace, since these factors govern stack penneability. Coke strength influences the size of lump coke not only because of size degradation by impact and abrasion during transfer to and descent in the blast furnace, but also because of its influence on the fracture which takes place in the coke layer during carbonisation and the effect this has on the initial mean size and size distribution of the feed coke. Therefore, the elucidation of the relationship between coke strength and the fissure fonnation phenomena is significant. In this study, therefore, the coke strength development during carbonisation has been examined in conjunction with various parameters, such as the degree of carbonisation of the coal, namely the extent or fraction of pyrolytic reaction, and the degree of graphitisation of the coke, as well as carbonisation temperature and heating regime. The porous structure of coke has also been examined with a view to establishing a relation between the porous structure and the coking properties of the coal carbonised. The quality of coke porous structure was evaluated by parameters introduced in this study, i.e., the pore size distribution and pore rugosity factors. A poor porous structure is shown to be associated with high proportion of small pores and pores with a rough surface. These features are considered to stem from poor coking properties and the consequent poor adhesion between coal particles. An attempt has also been made to establish a mathematical model capable of predicting the degree of fissuring of coke during carbonisation by utilising the understandings obtained in this study of the coke strength development during carbonisation and the effect of coal properties on coke strength. Coke samples large enough to facilitate the observation of the degree of fissuring in relation to various coal properties and heating conditions, were made to evaluate the mathematical model and introduce the concept. The concept that fissuring takes place when developing thennal stress exceeds the developing coke strength is demonstrated to be capable to evaluate the effects of coal properties and heating conditions on the degree of fissuring observed.

Die Thematik der Arbeit ist in der Schuranalysis angesiedelt. Angeregt durch die Bedurfnisse von Elektrotechnik und Signalubertragungstechnik entwickelte sich dieses mathematische Gebiet, welches Matrix- und Operatorversionen von Interpolations- und Momentenproblemen behandelt. Die vorliegende Dissertation beschafgt sich mit dem "J{Potapovproblem\, einem Interpolationsproblem furFu ntionen der J{Potapovklasse, welche in einer Umgebung von Null holomorph sind. Eine nahere Untersuchung dieser Funktionenklasse zeigt, dass deren Taylorkoe zientenfolgen zur Klasse der J{Potapovfolgen gehoren. Diese Folgen sind der Ausgangspunkt fur die Konstruktion von Matrixpolynomen, mit deren Hilfe sich die Losungsmenge des J{Potapovproblems als gebrochenlineare Transformation darstellen lasst. In Kapitel 1 werden zunachst J{Potapovfolgen und J{Potapovfunktion eingefuhrt sowie das J{Potapovproblem formuliert. Dabei werden wichtige Eigenschaften und Resulate vorgestellt sowie verdeutlicht, dass das J{Potapovproblem eine Verallgemeinerung des in der Literatur ausgiebig behandelten Schurproblems ist. Daraus entsteht die Zielstellung, wohlbekannte, aus Schurfolgen gebildete, Matrixpolynome auf den J{Potapovfall zu ubertragen. Eine besondere Rolle in der Losungsmenge des J{Potapovproblems spielt die zentrale J{ Potapovfunktion, denn eine Quotientendarstellung zentraler J{Potapovfunktionen ermoglicht auch eine Analyse der allgemeinen Losung. In Kapitel 2 erfolgt die Herleitung einer solchen Darstellung sowie die Untersuchung der damit verbundenen Folgen und Matrixpolynome. Dabei werden wichtige Identitaten und Beziehungen bewiesen, welche bei der Behandlung des J{Potapovproblems eine Schlusselrolle spielen. In Kapitel 3 erfolgt eine Verallgemeinerung der Arov{Krein{Matrixpolynome des Schurproblems auf die J{Potapovklasse. Dabei wird zunachst der nichtdegenerierte Fall untersucht, bevor eine Erweiterung der Ergebnisse auf den degenerierten Fall vorgenommen wird. Ausgangspunkt fur die Untersuchungen des vierten Kapitels ist die Beobachtung, dass mit den gegebenen Daten eines J{Potapovproblems ein spezielles Stein-Tripel und damit im nichtdegenerierten Fall ein J (:= diag(J;

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / The studies submitted for this thesis encompass two broad areas of interest. The first is the role of extracellular matrix during folliculogenesis, including ovulation and corpus luteum formation. The observations made were extended in a second series of studies investigating matrix and other parameters of morphologically distinct follicles. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1274421 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 2007

This thesis deals with the behaviour modulo n of linear recurring sequences of integers with characteristic polynomial ƒ ( x ) where n is a positive integer and ƒ ( x ) is a monic polynomial of degree k. Let α [subscript 1], α [subscript 2],...,α [subscript k] be the zeros of ƒ ( x ) and D ( ƒ ) ≠ 0 its discriminant. We focus on the v-sequence ( v [subscript j] ), defined by v [subscript j] = α[superscript j] over [subscript 1] + α [superscript j] over [subscript 2] + ... + α [superscript j] over [subscript k] for j ≥ 0. Our main interest is in algebraic congruences modulo n which hold when n is a prime and which involve only terms of the sequence and rational integers. For k = 1,2 such results have been used extensively in primality testing and have led to the study of various types of pseudoprimes. For k = 3, such results have been studied by Adams and Shanks ( 1 ) under the further assumption ƒ ( 0 ) = - 1. For general k, quite different approaches have been taken by Gurak ( 2 ) and Szekeres ( 3 ). The infinite test matrix modulo n is the infinite matrix M with rows and columns numbered 0,1,2 ... whose ( i, j ) entry is m [subscript ij], the least residue modulo n of v [subscript in + j] - v [subscript i + j] for i ≥ 0 and j ≥ 0. We study the congruence properties of M and especially of the k x k submatrix M ( [superscript k] ) determined by rows and columns 0 to k - 1. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the thesis and summarise auxiliary results. Chapter 3 presents background on linear recurring sequences with an emphasis on the matrix approach, including the v - sequence and the k " u - sequences " ( whose initial vectors are the rows of Ik ). Chapter 4 comprises theoretical study of the properties of M for a general k, both when n is a prime and for general n, together with investigation of the condition of Gurak ( 2 ). For ( n, k!D ( ƒ ) ) = 1, we show that the condition of Szekeres is equivalent to the condition that m [subscript i0] = 0 for 1 ≤ i ≤ k and also to certain permutation conditions. Gurak ' s condition is then described using these conditions. Chapter 5 assumes k = 3. For this case we study congruences modulo n satisfied by the m [subscript ij] when n is a prime, and hence develop a combination of tests on M ( [superscript 3] ) which are passed by all primes. We report on extensive computer investigation of composites passing these tests. Such composites are found to be rare. Investigation of the relevant work of Adams and Shanks and colleagues, together with use of the permutation condition of Chapter 4, leads to a modification of the earlier tests on M ( [superscript 3] ). Under suitable assumptions we show that the new modified condition is equivalent to the basic condition of Adams and Shanks and also to that of Gurak but has significant advantages over both. References ( 1 ) Adams, W. and Shanks, D. Strong primality tests that are not sufficient, Math. Comp., 39, 1982, 255-300. ( 2 ) Gurak, S. Pseudoprimes for higher - order linear recurrence sequences, Math. Comp., 55, 1990, 783-813. ( 3 ) Szekeres, G., Higher order pseudoprimes in primality testing, pp 451-458, in Combinatorics, Paul Erdos is eighty, Vol. 2 ( Jesztgektm 1993 ), Bolyai Soc. Math. Stud., 2, Jnos Bolyai Math. Soc. Budapest, 1996. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--School of Mathematical Sciences, 2006.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in the healthy adult arterial wall are a highlydifferentiated cell type with low levels of proliferation. However, when activated these cells can undergo a phenotypic change to become proliferative, migratory and excrete higher levels of extra-cellular matrix. While this cellular change is an essential element of the adaptable vasculature, excessive proliferation of VSMC underpins the development of a number of disease states, including atherosclerosis and restenosis after balloon angioplasty. The activation of VSMC is dependent on intracellular signalling pathways broadly altering gene expression. A key feature of this process is the initial potent regulation of transcription factors such as Egr-1, c-Jun and Ets-1, which then drive further transcriptional changes resulting in phenotypic change. The aim of this thesis was to discover novel genes, particularly transcription factors, regulated early upon stimulation and to characterise their contribution to the activation of VSMC. A key stimulus for activation of VSMC is the release of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). A microarray used to explore the effects of FGF-2 exposure demonstrated the extensive nature of transcriptional modulation. In addition, it highlighted a number of transcription factors that were not previously described in VSMC: p8, ATF-4 and SHARP-2. In particular, SHARP-2 was potently upregulated and was reconfirmed in animal models of vascular injury. The subsequent contribution these factors make to VSMC activation was also demonstrated. p8 strongly induced VSMC proliferation, while ATF-4 contributed to cytokine production and SHARP-2 potently downregulated VSMC differentiation markers. A second area that was explored related to a gene known as YRDC, which was found to be upregulated upon stimulation of VSMC. YRDC is highly conserved across almost all cellular life, however its function remains unknown. A number of novel splice variants of YRDC were discovered and demonstrated to be differentially regulated in VSMC upon stimulation. Further work to commence characterising its function showed that it interacts with key ribosomal proteins and most likely plays a role in regulating translation. The discovery of the relevance of these genes to vascular biology in addition to their transcriptional regulation makes an important contribution to increasing our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind vascular remodelling.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2001. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1991. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-194). Also available via the Internet.

Zugl.: Tübingen, Univ., Diss., 2007.

Thesis (M.Sc.). / Written for the Dept. of Chemistry. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/14). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 48).