Short-range stiffness (SRS) of a skeletal muscle describes the muscle's capability to resist external perturbations before the nervous system can intervene. Knowledge of the SRS of individual muscles is critical in understanding their contributions to single joint stiffness and whole limb stability. While the dependence of SRS on muscle force...
Two main topics are addressed in this dissertation: (1) adhesion in hydrogels; (2) interfacial interactions between model glassy polymers. A self-assembly technique for the formation of hydrogels from acrylic triblock copolymer solutions was developed, based on vapor phase solvent exchange. Structure formation in the gels was characterized by small angle...
In urban areas, an accurate evaluation of ground deformations from various construction activities requires one to properly consider both the probable ground strain level under expected working conditions and the recent stress history of the soil. For well-designed projects, the levels of ground strains typically are less than 0.5%, emphasizing...
Upward influence is an important vehicle for employee participation in work and decision-making. Research suggests that the forms and success of upward influence vary according to agent attributes, the supervisor-employee relationship, and the work context (Waldron, 1999; Wilson, 2002). Unexamined within this array are employee attempts at shaping their own...
Multi-hop wireless networks hold promise for increasing network capacity, lowering power requirements, and improving coverage over traditional cellular networks. However, their widespread adoption is hampered by challenges that include: 1) unreliable and complex routing protocols due to the transient nature of wireless nodes, 2) difficulties in guaranteeing quality of service...
Metal nanoprisms are a novel class of anisotropic nanomaterials with unique optical properties dependent on their size, shape, and composition. Silver nanoprisms are of particular interest because their surface plasmon resonance bands are readily tunable in the visible and near-IR region. The objectives of this thesis research focus on photochemical...
A novel cryogenic variable temperature UHV STM has been constructed and utilized to investigate the dynamical behavior of isolated organic molecules covalently bound to silicon surfaces.
The microscope can be operated from 8-300 K, and exhibits extremely low drift rates. A new design has been implemented for the rails (used...
This dissertation demonstrates how self-assembly can direct nanoscale ordering and optimize electronic properties of organic semiconductors, as well as organic-inorganic hybrids. In excitonic solar cells, controlling the ordering and interfaces between electron-transporting (n-type) and hole-transporting (p-type) domains is crucial. In addressing this challenge, hybrid nanostructures were designed by mineralization of...
This dissertation, "Myth and the Modern Problem: Mythic Thinking in Twentieth-Century Britain," argues that a widespread phenomenon best described as "mythic thinking" emerged in the early twentieth century as way for a variety of thinkers and key cultural groups to frame and articulate their anxieties about, and their responses to,...
IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in both immune and non-immune functions. In the immune system, IL-6 induces terminal differentiation of B cells into plasma cells, thereby promoting antibody production. IL-6 stimulates growth of T cells by enhancing the expression of the IL-2 receptor, and IL-6 also causes differentiation of...