A thin monocrystalline diaphragm pressure sensor using silicon-on-insulator technology.

The sensors market is huge and growing annually, of this a large sector is pressure sensors. With increasing demands on performance there remains a need for ultraminiature, high performance pressure sensors, particularly for medicai applications. To address this a novel capacitive pressure sensor consisting of an array of parallel connected diaphragms has been designed and fabricated from SIMOX substrates. The benefits of this include single crystal silicon diaphragms, small, well controlled dimensions, single sided processing and the opportunity for electronics integration. Theoretical modelling of this structure predicts a high sensitivity and low stress device with opportunities for scaling to suit alternative applications. A novel, process technology was developed to achieve the required structure with the inclusion of procedures to address the specific issues relating to the SIMOX material. The sensor was fully characterised and the results demonstrated high performance compared with similar reported devices. Alternative structures such as cantilevers, bridges and resonators were fabricated as a demonstrative tool to show the feasibility of this technology in a wider field of applications

Characterization of Seven Transmembrane Domain Receptor Gene Expression in Olfactory Receptor Neurons.

The expression of 7 transmembrane domain receptors in olfactory receptor neurons of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus was characterized. Due to disagreements in the literature as to how many odorant receptor genes are expressed in olfactory neurons, this study directly measured the number of odorant receptor gene transcripts expressed in single olfactory neurons. Individual olfactory receptor neurons can express more than one receptor, with some neurons expressing at least 3 to 4 receptors. These findings correlate with electrophysiological evidence but disagree with conclusions based on in situ hybridization. Receptors similar to odorant receptors are also expressed in taste buds, indicating a possible role for these receptors as detectors of taste stimuli. The odorant receptors may belong to a larger group of chemoreceptors that function as detectors of various signals depending on the cell in which they are expressed. The expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) in olfactory receptor neurons was also characterized. Two subtypes of these receptors, mGluR1 and mGluR3, were found in olfactory receptor neurons. These receptors were coexpressed with each other and with odorant receptors. Immunocytochemical analysis determined that these receptors were localized in the dendritic knobs and cilia of the neurons and electrophysiological evidence indicated that these receptors affected the response to the glutamate odorant. These findings support the hypothesis that mGluRs may have a function in olfaction. The last aim of this dissertation characterized the phosphorylation of the odorant and mGluRs by protein kinase C (PKC). An in vitro assay was used to determine if the PKCs known to be expressed in olfactory receptor neurons, PKC$\beta$ and PKC$\delta$, phosphorylate a consensus site found on both receptors. It was shown that mGluRs were phosphorylated by PKC$\beta$ and PKC$\delta$, with higher phosphorylation occurring by PKC$\beta$. PKC may thus function to desensitize mGluRs in vivo. The consensus site on the odorant receptor was only phosphorylated by PKC$\delta$. This site is located on extracellular loop 2 of the odorant receptor and when phosphorylated may function as a targeting signal during processing of the receptor

Duranta repens L.

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/herbarium_specimens_byname/18955/thumbnail.jp

Comparative Structure and Function of Intrinsic Gill Muscles in Freshwater Bivalve Molluscs.

The lamellibranch gill is used for various vital functions ranging from food capture to ion regulation. The foundation for many of these functions is the transport of water through the gill. This dissertation examines the organization of intrinsic gill muscles and the associated connective tissue in the freshwater bivalve Dreissena polymorpha with comparisons made to Corbicula fluminea and Toxolasma texasensis. Gill muscles can be divided into two groups: those associated with the connective tissue sheets that underlie external and internal gill epithelia; and those encased in connective tissue bands oriented perpendicular to the bases of gill filaments. The sets of muscles are oriented to serve complementary functions of drawing filaments together and of reducing ostial openings, thus affecting water flow through the gill. The supportive tissue in the gills of each of the three species is composed of a similar extracellular matrix with interspersed muscle fibers. These matrices consist of a periodic acid Schiff-positive tissue supported by small collagen fibrils as determined by morphological and biochemical examination. The ultrastructure of the muscle fibers associated with the connective tissue corresponds with a known type of smooth muscle. The gill muscles of D. polymorpha contract in response to acetylcholine and FMRFamide but relax with serotonin application. External calcium is required for muscle contraction and a proper balance between NaCl and KCl is critical for the maintenance of maximal responsiveness. Acclimation to hyperosmotic conditions is dependent in part on the activity of a ouabain-sensitive \rm Na\sp{+}/K\sp{+} ATPase. The gills of all three species show a common relationship between live gill area and dry body mass. Each of the animals have comparable ostial dimensions and possess the ability to control these dimensions through muscular tone. The similarity in structure and apparent function of the intrinsic gill muscles in each of the species examined suggests that the muscles are an important, conserved feature of the bivalve gill

Generations of Game Analytics, Achievements and High Scores

This paper poses the question, how has game recording evolved over the generations and how will it affect future generations of players and game developers who have access to the digital past? High scores have a history behind them and as generations of games have moved forward they begin to record much more than just scores. The present player generation can record complete replays of their entire gameplay performances and even play against other recorded player ghosts. As the future generations of gamers and developers take over they will have unprecedented access to the digital history archive as it becomes easier and easier to record and store the past. Deciding what to do with that past will be the next generation’s task as games move into the future

Viola triloba Schwein.

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/herbarium_specimens_byname/20279/thumbnail.jp

Generations of Game Analytics, Achievements and High Scores

This paper poses the question, how has game recording evolved over the generations and how will it affect future generations of players and game developers who have access to the digital past? High scores have a history behind them and as generations of games have moved forward they begin to record much more than just scores. The present player generation can record complete replays of their entire gameplay performances and even play against other recorded player ghosts. As the future generations of gamers and developers take over they will have unprecedented access to the digital history archive as it becomes easier and easier to record and store the past. Deciding what to do with that past will be the next generation’s task as games move into the future

Viola triloba Schwein.

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/herbarium_specimens_byname/20279/thumbnail.jp