Structural dynamics in three polymer blend systems, differing largely with respect to morphology, have been investigated. The first system, composed of two immiscible homopolymers, exhibits a microstructure of micron-sized droplets dispersed in a matrix phase. We have examined small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) as a new approach for conducting in situ...
Alkenylsilanes of varying chain lengths are investigated as simultaneous chain transfer agents + comonomers in organotitanium-mediated olefin polymerization processes. Ethylene + alkenylsilane polymerizations were carried out with activated Me2Si(Me4C5)(NtBu)TiMe2 and (-CH2CH2-3,3'){(5-indenyl )[1-Me2Si(tBuN)]}2Ti2Me4 precatalysts. Alkenylsilane incorporation levels follow the trend C8H15SiH3 < C6H11SiH3 ≈ C4H7SiH3 < C3H5SiH3. Long-chain branching levels versus...
Why would someone's judgments and choices disregard the consequences he or she cares about most? Considerable research appears to show that in many contexts, people show precisely this paradoxical tendency. Researchers interpret these results as showing that people sometimes make choices on the basis of moral factors -- factors that...
In this dissertation, I analyse the effectiveness of various political institutions in aggregating private information. In the first two chapters, I consider diversity of information among the voters about given electoral alternatives and examine the conditions under which plurality rule voting aggregates such information. In the third chapter, I consider...
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer (1:6), and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in American men (>27,000/year). Metastasis is largely responsible for these deaths. During metastasis, tumor cells travel from the prostate to a distant organ where they establish a secondary tumor. Cell motility...
Multiple Myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy occurring within the bone marrow. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of MM patients due to potent induction of apoptosis. Though known to occur via the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the molecular details of GC-induced apoptosis in MM cells remain...
Oxide surface structures play a key role in many technological processes, including catalysis, thin film growth, and layered structures, and a thorough understanding of surface structures and surface structure dynamics is required in order to better engineer materials systems for these processes. This research works towards understanding these fundamental principles...
The optimization problems associated with adaptive and autonomic computing systems are often difficult to pose well and solve efficiently. A key challenge is that for many applications, particularly interactive applications, the user or developer is unlikely or unable to provide either the objective function f, or constraints. It is a...
The response to reduced levels of oxygen (hypoxia) is essential for embryonic development by promoting the proper formation of vascular networks. Conversely, hypoxia also promotes the development of pathophysiological processes such as pulmonary hypertension and cancer. The main mediator of responses to hypoxia within the cell is the transcription factor...
Intramuscular electromyograms (EMG) are believed to provide several potential advantages over surface EMG for multifunctional myoelectric prosthesis control. One example is the ability to focally record from deep muscles of the forearm. However, intramuscular EMG has rarely been investigated due to the inability to obtain chronic recordings. New technology is...