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Effects Of Melatonin On Heartbeat And Possible Identification Of A Melatonin Receptor In Drosophila Melanogaster, Tricia L. Vankirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1 of this manuscript is a literature review that serves as an introduction to the entire dissertation. Chapter 2 examines the effects of the melatonin injection on heart rate and rhythmicity in Drosophila melanogaster Canton-S (wild-type) pupae and pupae bearing a variety of heart mutations. Chapter 3 investigates further the possible mechanisms of melatonin’s ability to increase heart rhythmicity without significantly affecting heart rate. A melatonin antagonist, luzindole; a high-affinity melatonin agonist, 2-iodomelatonin and RNAi techniques are used to identify a possible melatonin receptor in Drosophila melanogaster.

An appendix contains a previously published manuscript detailing experiments performed at the …

An Interpretation Of Relativistic Spin Entanglement Using Geometric Algebra, Crystal-Ann Mckenzie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Entangled states are often given as one of the most bizarre examples of “weirdness” described as inherent to quantum mechanics. The present work reinterprets entanglement as not being a property of states at all, but rather as a relationship between the reference frames in which the states reside, which proposes to reduce “weirdness” of interpretation. Using the geometric Algebra of Physical Space, it has been shown that a classical form of the Dirac equation can be satisfied by any eigenspinor, which is a Lorentz transformation operator describing the relative velocity and relative orientation of the rest frame of a system …

Do The Words People Write Capture Their Process Of Change, Orrin-Porter Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the use of commonly used word categories, less commonly used word categories, and change in word use over time in an expressive writing task. A sample of 250 undergraduate students from an archival study who were still experiencing unresolved feelings wrote about a targeted distressing experience for 15 minutes on each of three consecutive days. Narratives were analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count Program (LIWC). Results showed that six word categories predicted change in outcome, namely first-person singular pronouns, words related to causation, inhibition, certainty, past-tense verbs, and word count. Words related to cognitive …

Canadian Teacher Candidates’ Narratives Of Their Cross-Cultural Experiences In China, Minghua Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a narrative study, exploring the perspectives of Canadian teacher candidates’ cross-cultural learning experiences in China as a result of their involvement in the Reciprocal Learning Program between the University of Windsor in Canada and Southwest University in China. The study builds on my two years of participation as a graduate assistant in the Reciprocal Learning Program, which is part of the SSHRC Partnership Grant Project between Canada and China. This study focuses on five participants’ personal and professional understanding of cross-cultural knowledge. Based on Connelly and Clandinin’s (1988) narrative inquiry, this study finds some changes from the participants’ …

Thinking Beyond The Fried Egg Model: How Accurately Do Students Perceive Cells In A Living Context?, Milissa Knox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory study investigated three aspects of introductory undergraduate biology students’ understanding about cells. The study, which took place at the University of Maine with voluntary students in Basic Biology (“BIO100”) in the summer and fall of 2009, examined (1) students’ pre-course perceptions of cells as they exist in a living context and (2) gains in students’ perception and knowledge about cells after completing the one-semester course (BIO100). Results are based on lecture exam scores, pre-post surveys developed as a part of this thesis, and interviews with two groups of biology students. A total of 498 students participated in the …

A Theory-Guided Investigation Of Proposed Factors That Influence The Relationship Between Cybervictimization And Psychological Adjustment In Late Adolescents, Melissa K. Hord

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cybervictimization is related to negative psychological adjustment (e.g., Tokunaga, 2010); however, not all cybervictims report negative outcomes, and it is not clear what factors may influence vulnerability. One possibility is that cybervictims’ attributions regarding technology-based communication impact their emotional adjustment. Those who make hostile intent attributions in ambiguous situations are more likely to experience negative outcomes (e.g., Crick & Dodge, 1994), and the inherent ambiguity of electronic communication may be particularly susceptible to misinterpretation. In addition, how individuals respond to cyber experiences may serve to either protect or damage their emotional well-being. Furthermore, those who are high in rejection sensitivity …

A Retrospective View Of Bullying, Janie M. Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An Abstract of the Dissertation Presented

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
(in Education)
December 2015

Bullying in schools is one of the most prevalent challenges for teachers, administrators, and counselors all over the world (Esbensen & Carson, 2009; Merrell, Gueldner, Ross & Isava, 2008). The increase in bullying is evident by the growing interest in the behaviour, as well as intervention and prevention programs (Esbensen & Carson, 2009). This study examines the retrospective view of 10 university students who were identified as bullies during junior high years. Ten in-depth interviews were conducted, …

Explaining Migratory Behaviors Using Optimal Migration Theory, Jennifer D. Mccabe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bird migration is the regular seasonal movements between breeding and nonbreeding grounds. In general, birds that breed in the Northern Hemisphere tend to migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of increasing insect populations and lower predation pressures and fly south when food availability and weather conditions decline. Embarking on a journey that can stretch a thousand miles round trip is a dangerous and arduous undertaking. While en route migrants must stop and feed to replenish their depleted energy reserves, often in unfamiliar locations with unknown predation pressures. They also must react to weather conditions during flight and while …

Design, Manufacturing And Control Of An Advanced High-Precision Robotic System For Microsurgery, Arezoo Ebrahimi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microsurgeries like ophthalmic surgery confront many challenges like limited workspace and hand motion, steady hand movements, manipulating delicate thin tissues, and holding the instrument in place for a long time. New developments in robotically-assisted surgery can highly benefits this field and facilitate those complicated surgeries. Robotic eye surgery can save time, reduce surgical complications and inspire more delicate surgical procedures that cannot be done currently by surgeon’s hands. In this thesis work, the requirements for ophthalmic surgeries were studied and based on that a robotic system with 6 DOF is proposed and designed. This robotic

system is capable of handling …

The Temporal Nature Of The Acute Stress Response And Its Impact On Explicit Learning, Steven B. Hutchinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acute stress is commonly experienced by many throughout their lives. Given the demanding lifestyle of many career paths, it's important to gauge the influence of these stressors upon cognitive performance. The present dissertation focus' upon explicit learning in attempts to explore one avenue of the stress-cognition relationship. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used as a lab stressor for Experiments 1 and 2, in which participants are asked to give a speech and complete a difficult math task in front of 2 evaluators trained to monitor non-verbal behavior. Experiment 1 investigates the dynamic stress response during the minutes following …

Stochastic Goal Programming And A Metaheuristic For Scheduling Of Operating Rooms, Justin William Britt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Health care systems in Canada provide benefits to patients but have issues with costs and wait lists. Long wait lists negatively affect patients’ welfares. This in turn can increase costs because conditions can develop into more complicated ones over time. Operating rooms in a hospital are responsible for a significant portion of both costs and benefits; therefore, finding ways to use them more efficiently can reduce both the waste of tax dollars and the lengths of wait lists and can improve patients’ welfares. In this research, a stochastic weighted goal programming model is proposed to perform elective surgery scheduling under …

Email Similarity Matching And Automatic Reply Generation Using Statistical Topic Modeling And Machine Learning, Zachery L. Schiller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Responding to email is a time-consuming task that is a requirement for most professions. Many people find themselves answering the same questions over and over, repeatedly replying with answers they have written previously either in whole or in part. In this thesis, the Automatic Mail Reply (AMR) system is implemented to help with repeated email response creation. The system uses past email interactions and, through unsupervised statistical learning, attempts to recover relevant information to give to the user to assist in writing their reply.

Three statistical learning models, term frequency-inverse document frequency (tf-idf), Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), and Latent Dirichlet …

Los Morteros: Early Monumentality And Environmental Change In The Lower Chao Valley, Northern Peruvian Coast, Ana Cecilia Mauricio Llonto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral dissertation presents the results of archaeological and geoarchaeological studies carried out at the site of Los Morteros and the Archaeological Complex of Pampa de las Salinas, lower Chao Valley, North Coast of Peru, between September 2012 and July 2014. This research focuses on the study of the mound-shaped site of Los Morteros and the environmental contexts in which this site developed. Previous excavations at the site considered Los Morteros as a “stabilized dune” whose top was used as cemetery for pre-pottery people around cal. 5000 B.P (Cardenas 1995, 1999). However, geo-radar explorations of the mound in 2006 and …

Role Of Dignity In Rural Natural Resource Governance, Tora Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dignity is “an internal state of peace that comes with the recognition and acceptance of the value and vulnerability of all living things” (Hicks, 2011, p. 1). Dignity is a crucial element in effective governance arrangements. This study applies dignity theory, and related theories of natural resource governance and environmental communication, to understand and overcome barriers to effective governance of common pool resources in rural communities. Chapter 1 reviews relevant literature on natural resource governance and develops a theoretical framework for dignity. Chapter 2 applies dignity theory to a contentious comprehensive planning process in a small Maine town in order …

The Rhetoric Of Law And The Epistle To The Hebrews, Theodore A. Holt Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Epistle to the Hebrews demonstrates a complex of what scholars label technical legal terms. Enlisting a series of word studies, this thesis attempts to uncover where the author learned the terminology in order to understand more about the anonymous author and the theology of the Epistle to the Hebrews. This thesis examines terms in Heb 2:2-4; 6:13-18; 7:11-19; 8:13; 9:15-18; 10:9.

Normative Democratic Deliberation And The Role Of Argumentation In The Canadian Mandatory Minimum Sentence Debate, Caitlin Sivell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the role of argumentation within the debates on Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, that came into force in 2012. Through examining Hansard transcripts, this paper aims to investigate how argumentation on mandatory minimums was utilized in this political decision making setting to legitimize and accomplish this policy initiative. I draw upon the concepts of normative democratic deliberation, new right ideology and the punitive turn to explore the Harper government’s use of argumentation strategies and discuss their implications for the Canadian political process and the current direction of the administration of justice in Canada. This …

Heavy P-Block Analogues Of Dithiazolyl Radicals, Thao Thi Phuong Tran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis commences with an introduction to the chemistry and materials properties of dithiazolyl radicals and a review of previous research on the isolobal heterocyclic phosphorus-containing derivatives, particularly dithiaphospholes and diazaphospholes. P-chloro-1,3,2-benzo-dithiaphospholes were prepared from the condensation of PCl3 and 1,2-benzodithiols in good yield. Reduction afforded 2c,2e- P-P s-bonded dimers containing a formal PII oxidation state which were characterised by X-ray diffraction. Re-oxidation generates the crystallographically characterised Phalogeno- 1,3,2-benzo-dithiaphospholes. The synthesis and structural characterisation of the isolobal P-chloro-1,3,2-benzodiazaphospholes, C6H4(NR)2PCl (R = H, Me, Et, COMe, COOMe) is described. The outcome of attempted reductive coupling was found to be sensitive to …

Constrained Optimization For Bottleneck Peak Hour Pricing, Da Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We study the morning commute problem with a peak period flat toll, where the toll has a maximum acceptable toll level and a maximum acceptable length of tolling period. Under such a constrained optimization setup, we investigate the system cost minimization problem. A tolling scheme is determined by the toll starting time, the toll ending time, and the toll level. The toll starting time and ending time are set before and after the common work start time, respectively. We find out that, under the toll window length constraint only, a balanced toll window design is always optimal, where “balanced” means …

Towards A New Model Of Semantic Processing: Task-Specific Effects Of Concreteness And Semantic Neighbourhood Density In Visual Word Recognition, Ashley Danguecan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to data from three tasks, Danguecan & Buchanan (2014) demonstrated that semantic neighbourhood density (SND; Buchanan, Westbury, & Burgess, 2001) interacts with concreteness to influence visual word recognition response times (RTs). Importantly, these data suggest that the behavioural effects of these semantic variables are differentially impacted by task demands. The goal of the present study was to more precisely chart the flexibility of semantic processing by comparing recognition RTs of words (varying in concreteness and SND) across seven tasks with different explicit semantic requirements. The data show that linguistic associative information is particularly critical for abstract as compared to …

From Participation To Differentiation: A Framework For Re-Designing A Socio-Technical System, Victoria Townsend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engineers are responsible for re-designing socio-technical systems (STSs). At the same time, the current literature on engineering re-design methodology is predominantly oriented towards technical artefacts. This methodology is not directly transferable to STSs, since STSs differ in the role of workers operating the system in collective activity. Accordingly, the central question of this dissertation is: How can engaging STS operators as participants in re-designing an assembly production system develop an approach for re-designing STSs that operationalizes human value and potential? To this aim, this dissertation develops a framework for re-designing a STS. This framework is developed with design research methodology …

Cbt Group Intervention To Increase Cpap Adherence Among Veterans With Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Investigation, Katie Patricia Lang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep Apnea (SA) is gaining increased attention among military populations due to the increasing prevalence rates (40-60%) and risk of serious health complications (i.e., cognitive decline, stroke) when untreated. Unfortunately, adherence to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP; the gold standard treatment) is chronically low. This study examined the efficacy of a 6-week CBT group intervention to increase CPAP adherence among veterans diagnosed with SA and prescribed CPAP treatment. A final sample of 35 veterans was randomly assigned either to treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus the CBT group intervention. Participants completed various self-report measures and a therapist-administered cognitive screening …

Risk And Resilience In Emerging Adults With Childhood Parentification, Kristen Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Childhood parentification, an adult-child role reversal in which a child provides physical and/or emotional care for a parent, has been associated with both adaptive and maladaptive outcomes in emerging adulthood (Hooper, 2007b). The current three-part investigation (quantitative, written narrative, interview) used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore adjustment in emerging adulthood following childhood parentification experiences and sought to identify factors that may influence parentification outcomes. In total, data from 205 participants were analyzed in the quantitative portion of the study, with 181 participants providing written narrative responses and 10 individuals participating in a follow-up interview. Results from quantitative and qualitative …

Validity Of The Tanita Bia In Measuring Body Composition In Pediatric Patients With Chronic Disease, Ayesha Ghani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Body composition is negatively affected in pediatric patients with chronic disease such as HIV, Sickle Cell Disease, and Cancer due to the effect of disease itself on the body and the various treatment regiments these children must be on. Monitoring the changing body composition in these children may help clinicians’ better address these effects in a timely manner in order to promote better growth and development and improve survival rate. The Tanita® BIA is an inexpensive and portable tool that can be used to access body composition. However, few studies have been conducted to determine its accuracy in measuring …

Properties And Applications Of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Concrete, John-Sebastian Branston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Basalt fibre has gained popularity in concrete reinforcing applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and an environmentally friendly manufacturing process. Research work presented in this thesis was undertaken to better understand potential applications of three different types of basalt fibre construction: filament and bundle dispersion fibres, and basalt fibre reinforced polymer bars (minibars). Mechanical performance was evaluated by measuring the effect of the fibres on the pre- and post-cracking behaviour of concrete, and by investigating how the fibre-concrete interfacial properties influenced that behaviour. Durability was evaluated by measuring the effect of the fibres on unrestrained plastic shrinkage, and their …

Disciples, Exorcists, And The Power Of God: Reading Acts 19:1-20 As A Literary Unit, Matthew R. Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scholars have read Acts 19:1-20 as a combination of stories serving different thematic interests. This has led to much confusion over several details in the text, and readings that follow this pattern miss the larger point Luke is making in this section. Acts 19:1-20 serves as the final scene in a three-part contest between believers and magicians (Acts 8:4-25; 13:4-12; 19:1-20). When one takes Acts 19:1-7 as a part of the larger narrative structure in 19:1-20, one can read the Ephesian disciples as the literary foils of the sons of Sceva. This reading highlights Luke’s overall message about magic in …

Academic Entitlement, Student Motivation, And Academic Outcomes, Marc Philip Frey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been a recent influx of preliminary research examining Academic Entitlement (AE) and the corresponding implications. However, little is known about the antecedents and outcomes of entitled attitudes on the part of students. Initial findings suggest that those high in AE are more extrinsically motivated and have an external locus of control (Greenberger, Lessard, Chen, & Farruggia, 2008). Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a theoretical basis for understanding this constellation of characteristics and may prove useful in curbing AE. According to SDT, diminished levels of intrinsic motivation for tasks and increased non-self-determined motivation results in decreased task persistence, enjoyment in …

Dominance In Multi-Population Cultural Algorithms, Santosh Upadhyayula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We propose a new approach that can be used for solving the knowledge migration issue in multi-population cultural algorithms (MPCA). In this study we introduce a new method to enable the migration of individuals from one population to another using the concept of complete dominance applied to MPCA. The MPCA’s artificial population comprises of agents that belong to a certain sub-population. In this work we create a dominance multi population cultural algorithm (D-MPCA) with a network of populations that implements a dominance strategy. We hypothesize that the evolutionary advantage of dominance can help improve the performance of MPCA in general …

Effect Of A Dietary Intervention On Glucocorticoid-Induced Metabolic Syndrome, Leeanna Allyson Beech

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to determine if a dietary intervention of fish oil could reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome phenotype associated with glucocorticoids (GC), given as part of the acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) treatment. Weaned C57BL/6 male mice were assigned either a standard rodent chow or Western-type diets containing 45% calories from fat consisting of lard (high omega-6/low omega-3 fatty acids). At six weeks of age, GC treatment was given daily for 28 days to half the mice in each diet group. Mice on the lard diet either remained on this diet or were switched to an isocaloric diet containing …

Case Study On Spirituality In Senior Center Education: Qualitative Research In Adult Education, Laura E. Demarse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the deeply personal role of spirituality in adult education as seen through teaching senior citizens and examined the personal manifestation of spirituality through the life experiences of five adult educators. The research questions examined how the participants implement spirituality in their teaching practice, principally informed by their personal definitions of spirituality and how these personal experiences of spirituality influence and shape their work as adult educators. The case study used non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews, which provide the narratives that inform the basis of this study.

Meeting At A Crossroad: Traditional Irish Music And Classical Music Taught In The Same Space, Heather Ann Martin Bixler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of traditional Irish music to this classical violinist set me on a path of discovery that challenged my listening, my conception, and consequently my performance of classical music. Convinced that this progress in my playing could perhaps be useful to other violinists and musicians in general, I proposed a program for American universities where traditional Irish music is taught alongside Western classical music. I investigate techniques unique to the violin such as bow triplets and articulation, as well as explore areas that apply to all musicians such as tonality/intonation, and improvisation. The second chapter examines in detail the …