Ionically cross-linked alginate hydrogels as drug delivery systems for analgesics in broiler chickens : thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Masters of Science in Chemistry at Massey University, Palmerston North, Manawatu, New Zealand

Treating birds with analgesic drugs requires continuous injections of near lethal concentrations to maintain the therapeutic dose in the blood plasma. This is due to birds having higher metabolic rates than mammals. Therefore, there is a need to develop drug delivery systems that can control and slow down the release of analgesics in birds. This study was designed to analyse the sustained release of the model analgesics, sodium salicylate and sodium aspirin, from ionically cross-linked alginate hydrogels, in in vitro and in vivo experiments using broiler chickens as the model bird. Analgesic loaded hydrogels separated into two layers, unlike the homogeneous blank hydrogels. This was labelled as the separation effect. Swelling studies indicated the absence of the insoluble cross-linked alginate material in the hydrogels where the separation effect occurred, with most of the hydrogels dissolving back into the medium. The highest equilibrium swelling percentage achieved in the loaded hydrogels was 68 %. In comparison, the highest equilibrium swelling percentage in the blank hydrogels was 622 %. In vitro drug release profiles showed that the hydrogels released up to 100% of the sodium salicylate within 3.33 hours. In contrast, the hydrogels containing sodium aspirin released only 35 % of the encapsulated drug. Hydrogels containing a drug concentration of 150 mg/mL were injected into the model birds at a dose rate of 150 mg/Kg. No chicken reacted negatively to the hydrogel injection. In vivo results indicate sustained release of the model analgesic from the hydrogels compared to the release from the aqueous solutions of the drug. The effective concentration for an analgesic effect of sodium salicylate was maintained by the group injected with an aqueous solution of sodium salicylate 18 hours after the injection. The groups injected with the hydrogel with the maximum calcium chloride content saw the largest sustained release, with the plasma concentration of sodium salicylate remaining over the effective concentration for up to 36 hours after the injection. Keywords: Sodium salicylate, sodium aspirin, hydrogel, analgesia, sustained release, broiler chicken

Characterisation and functionalisation of mechanically fractured graphene nanoribbons : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nanoscience at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Graphene has been heralded as the supermaterial of the future, boasting incredibly high electron mobility, thermal conductivity, and physical strength – all contained within the world’s first true 2D material, only a single atom thick. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) broaden this potential further by demonstrating width-dependent band gaps due to confinement effects. In addition, the ability to define the edge geometry and dimensions of GNRs allows control over self-assembly of these novel carbon nanostructures. GNR synthesis has been broadly explored in literature, demonstrating both relatively high yields and atomic-scale precision. Rarely, however, are these two criteria achieved in the same technique. Longitudinal unzipping of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) generates large quantities of nanoribbon material at the expense of quality, while techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and bottom up synthesis achieve truly astounding quality, but lack scalability. Recently, the synthesis of highly ordered GNRs with tunable dimensions and unique geometries has been demonstrated using mechanical fracturing of a block of graphite via simple microtomy techniques. This method offers a top-down approach to GNR synthesis providing highly ordered structure on a much larger scale than efforts to date. In this work, this technique has been altered to use a dry-cut method, and the structural and chemical properties of the material obtained therein have been extensively characterised, demonstrating increased quality, structural order, and quantities obtainable. Further, this work has demonstrated the functionalisation of these dry-cut materials both chemically via simple organic chemistries, and non-covalently utilising filamentous bacteriophage as a route towards biofunctionalisation

Strong and Weak Optimizations in Classical and Quantum Models of Stochastic Processes

Among the predictive hidden Markov models that describe a given stochastic process, the {\epsilon}-machine is strongly minimal in that it minimizes every R\'enyi-based memory measure. Quantum models can be smaller still. In contrast with the {\epsilon}-machine's unique role in the classical setting, however, among the class of processes described by pure-state hidden quantum Markov models, there are those for which there does not exist any strongly minimal model. Quantum memory optimization then depends on which memory measure best matches a given problem circumstance.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures; http://csc.ucdavis.edu/~cmg/compmech/pubs/uemum.ht

Validation of simulated real world TCP stacks

The TCP models in ns-2 have been validated and are widely used in network research. They are however not aimed at producing results consistent with a TCP implementation, they are rather designed to be a general model for TCP congestion control. The Network Simulation Cradle makes real world TCP implementations available to ns-2: Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD can all be simulated as easily as using the original simplified models. These simulated TCP implementations can be validated by directly comparing packet traces from simulations to traces measured from a real network. We describe the Network Simulation Cradle, present packet trace comparison results showing the high degree of accuracy possible when simulating with real TCP implementations and briefly show how this is reflected in a simulation study of TCP throughput

Constraints to the Growth of Native American Gaming

Since the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed in 1988, high-stakes bingo halls and casino operations have spread to reservations across the country and generated millions of dollars in revenues for their respective tribes. While some tribes have been able to exploit their sovereign status and establish high-stakes bingo parlors and casinos on reservations across the country, this study describes how external and internal constraints limit the adoption of gaming ventures by other tribes. Constraints include the location of the reservations, increasing competition, disagreements among tribal members, and opposition from the private and public sectors

Wireless local area network planning: an overview

When planning a wireless local area network, there are design issues that need to be considered. In this paper, the fundamentals of planning a wireless local area network are introduced and discussed to highlight the requirements involved. Network constraints, as their relevance to wireless network design is investigated. The paper concludes with an overview of wireless network planning solutions including commercial and free software, and an introduction to the author’s research

EXAMINING INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN LOCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUTING PATTERNS IN ALABAMA

The paper examines the causal relationships and pattern of spatially distributed employment growth and commuter patterns in Alabama using a distance deterrence model. The findings suggest that as commuting distance increase the number of commuters from one region to another decrease.Labor and Human Capital,

Performance Evaluation of Open Graded Base Course with Doweled and Non-Doweled Transverse Joints

The objectives of this study were to investigate the performance of 20-year old doweled/non-doweled and dense-graded/permeable base test sections on three concrete pavement segments in Wisconsin: USH 18/151 in Iowa and Dane counties, STH 29 in Brown County, and USH 151 in Columbia and Dane Counties. Five pavement bases were placed including: dense graded, asphalt-stabilized permeable, cement-stabilized permeable, and untreated permeable having two gradation sizes. USH 18/151 test sections had similar performance (PDI) for doweled unsealed pavement on dense and permeable base. Distresses common to all segments included slight to moderate distressed joints/cracks and slight transverse faulting. Asphalt-stabilized permeable base had no slab breakup or surface distresses, however it measured a greater severity of distressed joints and cracks. Non-doweled sections having asphalt-stabilized permeable base and Transverse Inter Channel drains had better performance and ride than the other non-doweled sections. IRI was generally higher on non-doweled pavements, but many doweled sections had an equal roughness to non-doweled sections. Sealed non-doweled joints produced a better performing pavement, however, sealant did not appear to improve ride. STH 29 unsealed sections performed better than the median PDI for the sealed sections. The sealed doweled pavement did perform a little better than the non-doweled section, but the opposite occurred on the non-doweled sections. Sealed doweled joints had a smoother ride than the other combinations. USH 151 test sections found the finer-graded New Jersey permeable base had the smoothest ride when compared to other permeable sections. Asphalt-stabilized permeable base had the roughest ride, and unstabilized and cement-stabilized permeable bases had intermediate values. The average hydraulic conductivity for the unstabilized permeable base was 17,481 feet per day and there appears little variation due to doweling or joint sealant. Deflection load transfer results indicate expected high average values for the doweled sections and fair to poor values for the non-doweled sections. Slab support ratios indicate variable results based on base type and joint reinforcement/sealant. Life-cycle cost analysis found dense-graded base was the least cost among all base alternatives, with a total estimated present-worth life-cycle cost of $665,133 per roadway mile. Untreated and asphalt-stabilized permeable bases were more expensive by 13% and 27%, respectively. Other factors in selecting dense-graded base over permeable base include project drainage conditions set forth in the FDM guidelines an anticipated increase in pavement surface roughness

The simultaneous multi-element analysis of forensic samples by atomic absorption spectrometry

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