The need for readily synthesized scaffold architectures to build monodisperse, high molar mass mobility modifiers or "drag-tags" in end-labeled free solution electrophoresis (ELFSE) led to the development of a novel class of multivalent molecular tools. Poly-N-substituted glycines (peptoids) were created with evenly spaced amino groups as branching points along the...
Virtual machine based distributed computing greatly simplifies and enhances adaptive/autonomic computing by lowering the level of abstraction, benefiting both resource providers and users. We are developing Virtuoso, a middleware system for virtual machine shared-resource computing (e.g. grids) that provides numerous advantages and overcomes many obstacles a user faces in using...
The central analytic concern of this dissertation is the problem of privileging one, true, unified, singular self as the essential focus or goal with respect to contemporary French- and English-language novels by women authors from Africa and the Caribbean. In the past, feminist critics, in particular, have read these texts...
The recent observation of nonzero neutrino mass is the first concrete indication of physics beyond the Standard Model. Their properties, unique among the other fermions, leads naturally to the idea of a Majorana neutrino mass term. Despite the strong theoretical prejudice toward this concept, it must be tested experimentally. This...
The orderly process of hematopoietic differentiation is governed in large part by the coordinated transcription of specific genes. Deregulation of normal differentiation processes can lead to disease states including immunodeficiency, autoimmune disease, and leukemia. This research focuses on the family of transcription factors known as the early growth response (Egr)...
Over the past decade and a half, there has been considerable interest in the effect confinement and interfaces have on the properties of glass forming materials. With the emergence of nanotechnology, some glass formers, in particular polymeric glass formers, will be used at increasingly smaller length scales. An understanding of...
Articular cartilage is a type of connective tissue that protects the underlying bone from the compressive forces of daily activities. When cartilage is damaged via a traumatic event, chondral defects are formed and require medical intervention. However, current treatments are of inconsistent efficacy and only benefit a subset of patients....
When considering his pioneering and innovative role in broadening the tonal palette of the piano, as well as his tireless efforts to promote his own and other composers’ music, it is not surprising that a large percentage of Franz Liszt’s compositional output for that instrument is made up of transcriptions....
Liquid metal melt-lubrication of high-power and high-speed sliding electrical contacts improves electrical current collection and reduces friction. However, armature material loss may cause transition to arcing or plasma contact. Boundary lubrication of the sliding contact with low melting-point alloys can provide comparable improvement in current collection at reduced temperatures. Bismuth,...
In 2008, the term "remix culture" is widely understood to refer to mash-up videos and movie parodies, distributed on websites such as YouTube and authored primarily by white male teenagers. This dissertation argues that digital remix was invented primarily by African American men, who, in the mid-1980s, began using digital...