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Saint Manuel Gonzalez Garcia was a bishop of Spain in the first part of the twentieth century. While his writings on the Eucharist are manifold, this work is the first to uncovers in a systematic fashion his rich Marian texts, revealing a beautiful and well-balanced Mariology. Saint Manuel provides rich insights into Mary and her Immaculate Motherhood as a lens through which one can gain better insight into the reception of the Eucharist, of her coredemption, of Mary as mother of priests, and of her participation in the heavenly liturgy.

Saint Manuel Gonzalez Garcia was a bishop of Spain in the first part of the twentieth century. While his writings on the Eucharist are manifold, this work is the first to uncovers in a systematic fashion his rich Marian texts, revealing a beautiful and well-balanced Mariology. Saint Manuel provides rich insights into Mary and her Immaculate Motherhood as a lens through which one can gain better insight into the reception of the Eucharist, of her coredemption, of Mary as mother of priests, and of her participation in the heavenly liturgy.

Polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) are attractive polymers for gas separation membranes due to their high chemical and thermal stability and rigid, size-selective molecular structures. Opportunities exist for using PBIs for high temperature H₂/CO₂ separation, among other separations, where significant amounts of water are often present. However, PBIs are uniquely hydrophilic glassy polymers, and the impact of humidity on PBI gas transport properties is not well understood. Highly sorbing penetrants like water are often considered to affect molecular transport in polymers through phenomena such as competitive sorption, antiplasticization, and plasticization, but greater fundamental understanding is needed to relate these phenomena to other key concepts in polymer transport like free volume. Additionally, opportunities exist to improve low PBI gas permeabilities through material modification. This study investigates fundamentals of water sorption, dilation, and diffusion in PBIs to develop a systematic understanding of how water uptake affects molecular transport in hydrophilic glassy polymers. Water vapor sorption and swelling in PBIs were experimentally measured, which enabled direct evaluation of polymer free volume changes arising from water uptake. Gas transport properties were measured across a range of humidities using a custom experimental apparatus and correlated with humidity-induced free volume changes. This analysis enabled unique insight into the tradeoff between competitive sorption, antiplasticization, and plasticization effects of water sorption on PBI transport properties. Similar analysis could be used to investigate fundamentals of mixed penetrant sorption and diffusion in other polymers. Finally, a method of improving PBI gas separation properties by blending PBIs with a more permeable polymer was investigated. Commercial PBI was blended with an ortho-functional polyimide capable of undergoing thermal rearrangement at high temperatures. Films of PBI blended with a small fraction of polyimide exhibited matrix-droplet morphologies that enabled synergistic combination of PBI and polyimide gas separation properties. Heat treatment caused thermal rearrangement of the polyimide phase, increasing blend H₂ permeabilities, while also increasing structural order in the PBI phase, increasing blend H₂/CO₂ selectivities. The net result of heat treatment was simultaneous improvement in both H₂ permeability and H₂/CO₂ selectivity at ambient temperatures, surpassing the 2008 H₂/CO₂ upper bound

The following paper discusses software and data extraction techniques to effectively transmit medical data in its most basic format. The vitals chosen for analysis are the electro-cardiograph (ECG/EKG) signal, and pupillary reflex activity tracking. Between these two vitals, and body temperature, doctors can generally make a large variety of determinations of a person’s health. The goal of this paper is to minimize the amount of data that is transmitted, without losing much integrity, and with the hope that it can be sent over very low latency networks, possibly even used for storage in the future. The methods proposed can eventually also be utilized toward a more automated way of detecting irregularities/concerns.

Abstract: This thesis presents work performed to model and measure the effect of run-out table cooling on a thick walled X70 steel. During run-out table cooling, the steel undergoes several phase transformations that will affect its microstructure, and thus, its mechanical properties. To predict the steel microstructure at the end of the run-out table, three different models were developed. The thermal model based on a previous finite element thermal analysis, predicts the temperature history of a thick walled X70 skelp through the run-out table. The validation of the model was done by measuring the coiling interrupt temperature at the surface of the skelp at the end of the run-out table. To model the phase transformation during run-out table cooling, the microstructure of different steels was predicted for constant cooling rate transformation. This metallurgical model proposed a new approach to process dilation curves in order to predict the evolution of the fraction of austenite transformed during continuous cooling. With this technique, the transformation of austenite into ferrite and bainite was considered simultaneous and not sequential, as it is commonly done in the literature, and improved CCT diagrams were built. The model gave a good approximation of the volume fractions, but the results needs to be confirmed through a thorough microstructure analysis. The thermal and metallurgical model were then combined in order to predict the evolution of the volume fractions during run-out table cooling. This thermo-metallurgical model was validated by a microstructure analysis of an X70 pipe sample produced in the run-out table. The model was able to accurately predict the microstructure at the centerline and quarter of the skelp, but cannot be used at the surface due to too high cooling rates. The model was also extended to other steels and run-out table configurations, which showed promising results.

Continuous monitoring of changes in wound size, wound area, and volume, is key to predict whether wounds will heal on time. Wound measurement methods can be subdivided into non- contact and contact methods. Contact methods are prone to errors given the human intervention and it increases the chance of discomfort during measurement. Alternative methods, such as image- based non-contact methods, eliminate any discomfort and have good reliability for measuring a wound. However, existing image-based non-contact methods are expensive. This is because these methods build a 3D model of the wound using expensive devices in order to allow the clinician to obtain the necessary wound measurements. To alleviate the cost of these systems, the proposed system described in this report measures wounds using low-cost depth cameras such as the Microsoft Kinect. This report describes methods that take in an RGB image from the Microsoft Kinect, computes the necessary parts of a 3D wound model, and finally reports wound measurements. The proposed system requires the user to draw the contour of the wound on the image. Then, the system automatically extracts all the necessary information from the RGB and depth images to create a minimal 3D model of the wound. Subsequently, the system processes the 3D model in order to facilitate the estimation of the wound area and volume. Finally, the system reports the measurements to the user. This report presents experiments demonstrating that the proposed system achieves acceptable measurements despite the fact that it uses a low-cost and noisy imaging sensor.

Submarine slope failure releases sediments; it is an important mechanism that changes the Earth surface morphology and builds sedimentary records. I study the mechanics of submarine slope failure in sediment that dilates under shear (dilative slope failure). Dilation drops pore pressure and increases the strength of the deposit during slope failure. Dilation should be common in the clean sand and silty sand deposits on the continental shelf, making it an important mechanism in transferring sand and silt into deep sea. Flume experiments show there are two types of dilative slope failure: pure breaching and dual-mode slope failure. Pure breaching is a style of retrogressive subaqueous slope failure characterized by a relatively slow (mm/s) and steady retreat of a near vertical failure front. The retreating rate, or the erosion rate, of breaching is proportional to the coefficient of consolidation of the deposit due to an equilibrium between pore pressure drop from erosion and pore pressure dissipation. The equilibrium creates a steady state pore pressure that is less than hydrostatic and is able to keep the deposit stable during pure breaching. Dual-mode slope failure is a combination of breaching and episodic sliding; during sliding a triangular wedge of sediment falls and causes the failure front to step back at a speed much faster than that from the breaching period. The pore pressure fluctuates periodically in dual-mode slope failure. Pore pressure rises during breaching period, weakens the deposit and leads to sliding when the deposit is unstable. Sliding drops the pore pressure, stabilizes the deposit and resumes breaching. The frequency of sliding is proportional to the coefficient of consolidation of the deposit because dissipation of pore pressure causes sliding. Numerical model results show that more dilation or higher friction angle in the deposit leads to pure breaching while less dilation or lower friction angle leads to dual-mode slope failure. As a consequence, pure breaching is limited to thinner deposits and deposits have higher relative density.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Certain types of glaucoma are directly related to the iris contour. For example, in primary angle closure glaucoma (ACG), the iris is positioned abnormally to the anterior. In my research project, I tried to reveal the mechanisms underlying iris contour abnormalities using a combination of computational and experimental studies. The iris contour is determined by the balance of three forces: muscular contractions, iris elastic responses, and hydrodynamic forces. The iris muscular forces arise from activation of the iris constituent muscles while the elastic forces are the result of passive mechanical behavior of the iris. Unlike the other two forces that are generated by the iris, the hydrodynamic forces are caused by the continuous flow of the aqueous humor (AH) in the anterior eye. An accurate and predictive computational model, which could provide insights into pathophysiology of glaucoma and possibly lead to novel therapeutic strategies, must accounts for all of the three elements contributing to the iris contour. As part of the continues investigations in Dr. Barocas’s lab at the University of Minnesota, the main purposes of this study were (1) to characterize the passive mechanical properties of the iris, (2) to characterize iris-related risk factors to ACG using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) technique, and (3) to develop a computational model of the iris-aqueous-humor interaction in the anterior eye during dilation. The iris is composed of three constituent components: the stroma, the sphincter iridis, and the dilator pupillae. To quantify the relative stiffness of different sections of the iris, mechanical indentation tests and histological analysis in combination with a three- dimensional finite element (FE) simulation were performed. The iris was divided into three regions and the indentation tests were performed on both anterior and posterior sides of porcine irides. The effective moduli and viscoelastic parameters for all regions were calculated. Three-dimensional anatomically accurate models of iris indentation were generated in ABAQUS, based on histological data. An inverse method was developed to determine depth-dependent elastic properties of the iris by comparing experimental results and FE predictions. The study outcomes supported the hypothesis that the posterior layer was the stiffest and produced larger force with increasing depth. In addition to the differences in their passive stiffness, the iris constituent components also differ in their physiological function and/or pathophysiological roles. For example, there is clinical evidence that in high-risk patients, pupil dilation, caused by relaxation of sphincter iridis and contraction of dilator pupillae, can lead to acute ACG or exacerbate chronic ACG. To study such risk factors, experimental and computational studies were performed. In the experimental study, twenty normal subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination and AS-OCT in a controlled-light study. Dynamic changes of the anterior chamber and the iris configuration were captured during light-to-dark (dilation) and dark-to-light (constriction) conditions in a series of AS-OCT images. The relationship between iris parameters (like iris volume) and anterior chamber parameters (like anterior chamber angle and anterior chamber volume) with changes of pupil diameter were evaluated. We observed a decrease (increase) in iris volume and anterior chamber angle during dilation (constriction), and no significant change in anterior chamber volume. The results of this experimental study emphasized the idea that relative compressibility of the iris and dynamic pupillary block play important roles in angle closure mechanism. Furthermore, a mathematical model of the anterior segment was developed to study ACG risk factors. In a fluid-solid interaction model of the anterior segment, the contribution of three anatomical and physiological factors (dilator thickness, AH blockage, and iris compressibility) to changes in anterior chamber angle during pupil dilation was investigated. The model predicted that iris bowing during dilation was driven primarily by posterior location of the dilator muscle and aqueous humor blockage. The model also predicted that the risk of ACG during dilation increased with iris incompressibility, a result consistent with several clinical observations.

This work explains the effect of failure on permeability anisotropy and dilation in sands. Shear failure is widely observed in field operations. There is incomplete understanding of the influence of shear failure in sand formations. Shear plane orientations are dependent on the stress anisotropy and that view is confirmed in this research. The effect of shear failure on the permeability is confirmed and calculated. Description of permeability anisotropy due to shear failure has also been discussed. In this work, three-dimensional discrete element modeling is used to model the behavior of uncemented and weakly cemented sand samples. Mechanical deformation data from experiments conducted on sand samples is used to calibrate the properties of the spherical particles in the simulations. Orientation of the failure planes (due to mechanical deformation) is analyzed both in an axi-symmetric stress regime (cylindrical specimen) and a non-axi-symmetric stress regime (right cuboidal specimen). Pore network fluid flow simulations are conducted before and after mechanical deformation to observe the effect of failure and stress anisotropy on the permeability and dilation of the granular specimen. A rolling resistance strategy is applied in the simulations, incorporating the stiffness of the specimens due to particle angularity, aiding in the calibration of the simulated samples against experimental data to derive optimum granular scale elastic and friction properties. A flexible membrane algorithm is applied on the lateral boundary of the simulation samples to implement the effect of a rubber/latex jacket. The effect of particle size distribution, stress anisotropy, and confining pressure on failure, permeability and dilation is studied. Using the calibrated micro-properties, simulations are extended to non-cylindrical specimen geometries to simulate field-like anisotropic stress regimes. The shear failure plane alignment is observed to be parallel to the maximum horizontal stress plane. Pore network fluid flow simulations confirm the increase in permeability due to shear failure and show a significantly greater permeability increase in the maximum horizontal stress direction. Using the flow simulations, anisotropy in the permeability field is observed by plotting the permeability ellipsoid. Samples with a small value of inter-granular cohesion depict greater shear failure, larger permeability increase and a greater permeability anisotropy than samples with a larger value of inter-granular cohesion. This is estimated by the number of micro-cracks observed.

The total cesarean rate in the United States in 2006 was 466% greater than in 1970 (31.1% and 5.5%, respectively). Among term, low-risk, nulliparous women, a cesarean rate of 25% was reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2005. These rates are higher than ever before and farther from national objectives. While in some cases necessary for the health of the mother and/or neonate, cesareans are major surgical procedures that carry multiple short- and long-term risks. It is suggested that a cesarean rate between 5-10% for any world region seems to achieve the best outcomes, whereas a rate higher than 15% seems to result in more harm than good. Studying factors that may contribute to cesareans must be a research priority.Dystocia (i.e., slow, abnormal progression of labor) is the most common indication for cesareans. Clinically, dystocia is generally defined as a delay in cervical dilation progression beyond which accelerative interventions, e.g., uterine contraction augmentation via oxytocin administration, are considered justifiable. Rates of augmentation in contemporary practice suggest that the clinical expectations of nulliparous labor have surpassed normalcy. Hence, it is possible that current definitions of dystocia, in terms of cervical dilation rates, may be inappropriately defined. The first manuscript of this dissertation document presents a systematic review aimed at identifying the norms and limits of active phase labor length and active phase cervical dilation rates in low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset in order to better define labor expectations. It is concluded that active phase labor is longer and has a wider range of normal than is generally appreciated. Likewise, overall linear rates of cervical dilation in the active phase are not as steeply sloped as traditionally believed.Although the cause(s) of true labor dystocia can rarely be diagnosed with objective certainty, the greatest contributor is inefficient uterine contractions, a diagnosis lacking stringent criteria and with unknown cause(s). Physiological factors potentially contributing to inefficient uterine contractions via a uterine fatigue pathway and eventually culminating in longer labor durations is the focus of the second and third manuscripts. These prospective works studied term, low-risk, nulliparous women with a labor care provider diagnosis of spontaneous labor in the early active-phase (n = 93). The second manuscript reports the relationships between labor duration and maternal oxygenation, hydration, energy substrate availability, pain, and anxiety as well as reporting group differences on these measures. Measures were made at the diagnosis of active phase labor onset (baseline) and baseline + 4 hours. The third manuscript investigates lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as a potential, retrospective indicator of uterine preparedness for labor. Maternal serum LDH samples were collected upon a provider diagnosis of active phase labor onset and 24-30 hours post-vaginal delivery. Paired-sample differences are described as are the relationships between total LDH and isoenzyme levels and several outcome variables. In addition to the main study findings, these data also reinforce that many women, based on a priori definitions, are misclassified as being in active labor based on subsequent rates of cervical dilation.

Let H be a complex infinite-dimensional separable Hilbert space and L(H) be the algebra of all bounded operators on H. If T in L(H) is an absolutely continuous contraction one can define f(T) for f belonging to H('(INFIN)) using the Sz.-Nagy - Foias functional calculus. We say that T belongs to if (VBAR)(VBAR)f(T)(VBAR)(VBAR) = sup (VBAR)f((lamda))(VBAR) : (VBAR)(lamda)(VBAR) < 1 for all f in H('(INFIN)). In this dissertation we give necessary and sufficient conditions for a subnormal operator to belong to . If T is any operator in L(H) then A(,T) is the smallest unital sub- algebra of L(H) containing T and closed in the ultraweak operator topology. If 1 (LESSTHEQ) n (LESSTHEQ) (ALEPH)(,0), then T belongs to (,n) if T belongs to and given (phi)(,ij) : 0 (LESSTHEQ) i,j < n , a collection of ultraweakly continuous linear functionals on A(,T), one can find sequences x(,i) : 0 (LESSTHEQ) i < n and y(,j) : 0 (LESSTHEQ) j < n contained in H such that (phi)(,ij) (A) = (Ax(,i),y(,j)) for every A in A(,T)- and for 0 (LESSTHEQ) i,j < n. This dissertation gives sufficient conditions for a normal operator to belong to (,n). There is an extensive dilation theory for operators belonging to (,(ALEPH)(,0)). This dissertation shows that this dilation theory can be extended to subnormal operators S for which the left-essential spectrum of S intersected with the open unit disc is sufficiently rich. These subnormal operators need not be contractions.