Portable life support for instrumentation of an offshore platform

A compressor was used to supply air through a nylon hose to the offshore platform field engineer working at the bottom of the piling. Air quality in the pile was sampled periodically for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and combustible gases by an universal tester and an explosion meter

Developing Synthetic Methods to Prepare Discrete Metal-Organic Nanotubes

Metal-organic nanotubes (MONTs) are an emerging class of discrete materials that are the 1D variant of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). MONTs have potential to become an alternative 1D material to carbon nanotubes, metal oxide nanotubes, and boron nitride nanotubes because they possess an organic ligand that can be functionalized and tuned for specific applications. Despite this potential, only a handful of structures have been reported and only two examples of discrete MONTs exist in the literature. It is thus imperative to develop general methods to prepare and characterize discrete MONTs to bring them to the forefront of the scientific literature. Efforts were directed to design ligands that will readily facilitate MONT dispersion post-synthetically, or by hindering their crystal packing as they form from solution. Our group has previously reported 5 MONT structures that employ semi-rigid, di-triazole ligands, and by employing isoreticular synthesis, our goal was to determine which structural characteristics will direct MONTs to form discrete nanotubes or small bundles. A collaboration with the Dadmun group here at UTK was established to employ smallangle scattering methods to study their kinetics and growth, information that will be useful to guide future efforts to prepare discrete MONTs

Development and Evaluation of a Borohydride-palladium System for Selective Reduction of the C=C Bond of α,β-unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds

Selective reduction of the carbon-carbon double bond of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds is most commonly and reliably effected using a palladium metal catalyst together with molecular hydrogen from a pressurized tank. Sodium borohydride, like other hydrides, is ordinarily associated with reduction of the more polarized carbonyl of such compounds. However, we have developed an alternative means of employing sodium borohydride in combination with palladium metal to selectively reduce the carbon-carbon double bonds of these compounds. In this survey study, we introduce sodium borohydride as an alternative hydrogen source for such selective, palladium-catalyzed reductions. We also compare the results of this new, heterogeneous borohydride-palladium method with that of traditional palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation. A third method using only sodium borohydride with no palladium is included for comparison.Faculty Sponsor: Dr. David B. Corde

Retirement saving behavior: Transtheoretical Model change processes and life cycle tenets

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment Not ListedDerek LawsonThis dissertation sought to examine predictors of retirement savings behavior by analyzing data from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF 2019). The paper considered potential predictors through the lens of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) and tenets of the Behavioral Life Cycle Hypothesis (BLC). It is common for researchers to focus primarily on the stages of change in TTM without scrutinizing the underlying constructs within TTM that define change. This research delved more deeply into the underlying constructs than is typical of TTM research efforts. Guided by prior literature, survey items were chosen to model the various processes of change within the TTM model. Reasonable proxies were determined for all constructs except for the stimulus control process of change, which was a common missing variable within the literature. These survey items from the SCF 2019 were further divided into those that were considered to be cognitive factors and those considered to be behaviors. Cognitive factors were defined as any type of opinion, attitude, knowledge, or belief that was held by the participants. Behaviors were defined as actions either already taken or reported as what action the respondent would take. This process was not a scale, but a checklist for each construct modeled. For each process of change or underlying construct, the subject either demonstrated the response that would be expected of a person in the precontemplation, contemplation, or preparation stage of change or what would be expected of a person in the action or maintenance stage of change. Once this was accomplished, a logistic regression, both unweighted and weighted, was obtained to examine whether there were differences in the two groups regarding owning any type of retirement savings accounts, thus whether they were saving for retirement. Whether each household was saving or not saving specifically for retirement was the binary outcome variable. In addition to the role of TTM factors, this research further searched for evidence of the influence of BLC elements in the presence or absence of retirement savings behaviors. Survey items were chosen to model the specific tenets of the doer versus the planner, the implied recognition of assets belonging either in the current asset or future asset mental account, and the impact of retirement saliency on temptation. These items were included in the overall logistic regression model, both unweighted and weighted, to look for any differences in retirement savings behavior for each of these BLC elements. Ultimately this dissertation found evidence of statistical significance when considering the TTM constructs whether considering cognitive factors or behaviors. This was true in both the unweighted and weighted regressions. Except for retirement saliency in the unweighted logistic model the BLC tenets were not found to be statistically significant. This research is important because the responsibility for retirement savings shifted dramatically from the employer to the employee in recent decades and evidence suggests that the challenge of saving is not being met. Results of this study could help financial planners, counselors, and educators, as well as employers wishing to support their employees, with valuable information to influence the development of effective interventions designed to increase retirement saving behaviors within the general population

Does she think it matters who makes more? Perceived differences in types of relationship arguments among female breadwinners and non-breadwinners

This mixed methods study used a sequential exploratory design and Becker’s (1973) Theory of Marriage to explore how female breadwinners and non-breadwinners perceive types of relationship arguments. Respondents completed an online survey targeted to women about money and relationships. Qualitative analyses using a multiple case study approach explored the contents of arguments among three groups: women who earn more than their partner/spouse, women who earn less, and women who earn the same. Quantitative analyses employed independent t-tests to identify differences between female breadwinners and non-breadwinners for variables related to the identified themes from the qualitative analyses. Findings from this mixed methods study suggest that female breadwinners tend to perceive their partners as not meeting their expectations, are more likely to use blame language, and are less likely to use “togetherness” language when describing relationship arguments. Implications for future research and practice are provided

Near Noise Field of a Jet-Engine Exhaust

Aircraft structures located in the near noise field of a jet engine are subjected to extremely high fluctuating pressures that may cause structural fatigue. Studies of such structures have been limited by lack of knowledge of the loadings involved. The acoustic near field produced by the exhaust of a stationary turbojet engine having a high pressure ratio was measured for a single operating condition without burning. The maximum overall sound pressure without afterburning was found to be about 42 pounds per square foot along the jet boundary in the region immediately downstream of the jet-nozzle exit. With afterburning maximum sound pressure was increased by 50 percent. The sound pressures without afterburning were obtained on a constant percentage band width basis in the frequency range from 350 to 700 cps. Cross-correlation measurements with microphones were made for a range of jet velocities at locations along the jet and at a distance from the jet. In general, little change in the correlation curves was found as a function of jet velocity or frequency-band width

Atypical propylthiouracil-induced ANCA-positive vasculitis: report of a case with unusual clinical and histopathologic findings

The side effects of propylthiouracil, including cytopenia and vasculitis, are well established.  We present an interesting case in which cytopenia and cutaneous vasculopathy occurred concomitantly in a critically ill patient.  The patient was initially treated for suspected infection until dermatologic and rheumatologic workup revealed ANCA-positivity and vasculopathy on histopathology, most consistent with an atypical presentation of ANCA-positive vasculitis.  Upon initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, the patient’s condition rapidly improved emphasizing the importance of early recognition of this condition

The effect of standardizing the acidity in the manufacturing of cottage cheese and cultured buttermilk

Publication authorized July 16, 1940.Includes bibliographical references (pages 35-36)