Digital Commons Network^™

Modelling The Prevalence Of Down Syndrome With Applications Of Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods, Isabelle Cella Bray

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

This thesis was motivated by applications in the epidemiology of Down syndrome and prenatal screening for Down syndrome. Methodological problems arising in these applications include under-ascertainment of cases in livebirth studies, double-sampled data with missing observations and coarsening of data. These issues are considered from a classical perspective using maximum likelihood and from a Bayesian viewpoint employing Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) techniques. Livebirth prevalence studies published in the literature used a variety of data collection methods and many are of uncertain completeness. In two of the nine studies an estimate of the level of under-reporting is available. We present …

Reinforcement Learning In Intelligent Control : A Biologically-Inspired Approach To The Relearning Problem, Brendan D'Cruz

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

The increasingly complex demands placed on control systems have resulted in a need for intelligent control, an approach that attempts to meet these demands by emulating the capabilities found in biological systems. The need to exploit existing knowledge is a desirable feature of any intelligent control system, and this leads to the relearning problem. The problem arises when a control system is required to effectively learn new knowledge whilst exploiting still useful knowledge from past experiences. This thesis describes the adaptive critic system using reinforcement learning, a computational framework that can effectively address many of the demands in intelligent control, …

Profile Of The Law Of The Navajo Nation, Bidtah N. Becker, Navajo Nation

Tribal Law Journal

The Navajo Nation is a non-IRA5 tribe and is not governed by a written constitution. The Navajo Nation government consists of a three-branch system. The nation has a six volume, twenty-four title6 code. Title II outlines the administration of tribal affairs, including the executive and legislative branches. Title VII outlines duties of the judiciary. The modern Navajo Nation government is best described as a western / traditional blend of governance.

A Young Lens Of Red Sea Water In The Arabian Sea, S. L. Meschanov, G. I. Shapiro

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Dietary Vitamin E And Lipids On Some Immune Parameters Of Turbot (Scophthalmus Maximus L.), Mireille Crampe

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

The effect of dietary vitamin E and dietary lipids on growth and immune parameters of juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) were investigated in a series of experiments. The aims of the studies were to maximise immune function through dietary modulation to counteract stress induced immunodepression resulting from high stocking densities. In the first experimental trial, the vitamin E requirement for an optimum immune response was studied and revealed that vitamin E depletion induced poor health status, lower growth with some mortalities occurring at the end of the trial. However, supplementation of the diets with high levels of α-tocopherol although ensuring better …

Measurement Of Suspended Sediment Transport Processes Off The Holderness Coast - Southern North Sea, England, Joanna Catherine Blewett

School of Biological and Marine Sciences Theses

A field campaign was set up as part of the LOIS-RACS coastal program (1994-1996), to identify the near-bed physical processes responsible for suspended sediment movement in shallow water (10-20m depth) off the Holdemess coast, NE England. A new benthic tripod system Boundary Layer Intelligent Sensor System (BLISS) has been developed and deployed along a transect at three sites, normal to the coastline at Tunstall. Measurements of current velocity, suspended sediment concentration (SSC), pressure and CTD were recorded at 5 Hz for 17 minutes every hour, on the same data acquisition system. Results are presented for the summer, July 1995 and …

A Comparison Of Advanced Time Series Models For Environmental Dependent Stock Recruitment Of The Western Rock Lobster, Saarah A. Farag

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Time series models have been applied in many areas including economics, stuck recruitment and the environment. Most environmental time series involve highly correlated dependent variables, which makes it difficult to apply conventional regression analysis, Traditionally, regression analysis has been applied to the environmental dependent stock and recruitment relationships for crustacean species in Western Australian fisheries. Alternative models, such as transfer function models and state space models have the potential to provide unproved forecasts for these types of data sets. This dissertation will explore the application of regression models, transfer function models, and state space models to modelling the puerulus stage …

The Meaning Of Quality In Living Service Environments: An Analysis Of The Experiences Of People With Disabilities, Elderly People And Service Workers, Ruth Marquis

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of both people with disabilities and elderly people and to identify their perceptions of quality as it relates to living in a service or being supported by a service to live in the community. The study was naturalistic in design and used a phenomenological approach and inductive analysis. It involved immersion in living services for a two year period, in-depth interviews with people living and working in services and participant observation. Fifty service users between the ages of twenty-one and ninety-six, and twenty-six service workers between the ages of twenty-six …

"Family" As Constructed By Adoptees After Making Contact With Their Birth Families, Adrianne Moloney

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Legislative changes during the 1980s and 1990s opened confidential adoption files of the past enabling many adoptees and relinquishing parents to establish contact. This study examines the way in which the meaning of family is constructed by adoptees who have made contact with their birth relatives, and how these constructions were altered after contact. The ways in which biological and social definitions of family are constructed and contested in these settings is explored. Sociological definitions of family are discussed and the gap between ideal notions of 'family' and the lived experience of 'family' is explored. The study focuses on the …

The Integration Of The Superhighway Into The Classroom : The Advantages And Disadvantages And Precautions That Need To Be Taken When Allowing The Internet Into The Classroom, Shawn Louise Maly

Graduate Research Papers

Today few educators go without using some kinds of computer technology. Every year the number of schools connected to the Internet grows, as does the number of teachers with their own e-mail accounts. Now we seem to be heading into the areas of virtual instruction and virtual classrooms. The growth of computers is going to continue; it is inevitable. As we continue moving forward in education and technology, what are the advantages, disadvantages and precautions that need to be taken to integrate the Superhighway into the everyday classroom?

Autism : A Look Into Cause And Treatment, Sarah Chase Ferguson

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the literature on the etiology and treatment of autism in an attempt to answer three questions. First, what are the main theories on the cause of autism? To answer this the theories of the psychoanalytic, behavioral, and biological perspectives are examined. Second, what treatment methods are available for children with autism? Ideas on treatment are discussed from each of. the three perspectives. In addition, UCLA's Young Autism Project and Project TEACCH are covered. Third, what is the nature of treatment? The importance of specific treatment in the areas of language, social skills and daily living skills is …

Childhood Sexual Abuse: Long Versus Short Term Effects, Joyce Skinner

Graduate Research Papers

Research over the past decade indicates that a wide range of psychological and interpersonal problems are more prevalent among those who have been sexually abused than among individuals with no such experiences. This paper summarizes what is currently known about these potential impacts of child sexual abuse. The various problems and symptoms described in the literature on child sexual abuse are reviewed in a series of broad categories including post-traumatic stress, emotional pain, avoidance, an impaired self, and interpersonal difficulties. Research has determined that the extent to which a given individual manifests abuse-related distress is a function of an undetermined …

The Use Of Conflict Resolution To Reduce School Violence, Sabrina L. Taylor

Graduate Research Papers

► A St. Louis student, 14, was stabbed at school.

► An Atlanta student 12 was shot at school by a friend showing off a stolen gun.

► A 5-year-old and two 7-year-old were suspended from school in Rockville, Maryland for bringing knives to school.

► Two Denver, Colorado high school students detonated a pipe bomb outside their school. 2

► A Maryland teacher caught a student with a pistol inside a school restroom. The student shot the teacher.

► A Massachusetts high school student was knifed and clubbed to death during a government class.

► An Atlanta student opened …

Racial Disparities In The Delivery Of Health Care, Barbara A. Noah

Faculty Scholarship

This Article focuses on the role of conscious and unconscious racial bias in the delivery of care; it does not begin to address the larger issue of inadequate access to care at the outset. Improving access to health care for minorities will undoubtedly have a positive effect on these groups' overall health status; however, to the extent that racial bias in the delivery of care exists apart from problems of inadequate access, the disparity in health status between whites and African Americans will no doubt continue.

Part II of this Article describes racial disparities in a variety of health care …

The Concept Of Self-Directed Learning In Adult Education, Ruth Mwangangi

Graduate Research Papers

The concept of self-directed learning in adult education is still not fully understood. As most scholars do not agree with the theory of andragogy, there is more confusion. However the concept of self-directed learning in adult education in the United States "contains an amazingly rich body of ideas, folk knowledge, bona fide theory and impeccable history" (Courtney, 1992, p. 158). The real question is to understand how self-directed learning motivates the adult learner to perform the various roles as demanded in the society.

Historical Perspectives Of Male Same-Sex-Sexual-Orientation And The Division Into Contemporary Etiologies, Robert Emerson Willbee Iii

Graduate Research Papers

This is an introductory paper on the historical perspectives of the social acceptance of homosexual behavior, as well as contemporary views on the division of pro-gay and pro-development (growth out of homosexuality) groups. In conjunction with this, a discussion of the etiology of male-same-sex-sexual-attractions is proposed in accordance to genetic and environmental research. Difficulties in maintaining a pro-gay stance are proposed. Future research into the success of pro-development therapy, is suggested.

The Effects Of Systematically Fading Reinforcement While Maintaining Skills, Jodi Suzanne Bronson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A review of the literature describing treatment programs for young children with autism revealed two distinctly different strategies. One, the Lovaas approach (Lovaas, 1987), focused on an intense, one-on-one discrete trial training format implemented for approximately 40 hours per week. A prescribed curriculum targeted at social and communication skills is incorporated. The second program, TEACCH, emphasized an individualized curriculum selected after a careful assessment process to determine a person's strengths and limitations. Goals and objectives were subsequently implemented in highly structured special education classrooms where the focus was on antecedent control and the use of visually mediated strategies. Interviews with …

Adolescent Depression : A Review Of Theoretical Perspectives And Considerations For Assessment, Elizabeth Marie O'Neill

Graduate Research Papers

Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders shared by adolescents and adults. Thus, adolescent depression is an important area of investigation for researchers, parents, clinicians, and teachers. The purposes of this literature review are to (1) provide a critical overview of the major depressive disorder criteria for children and adolescents in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), (2) provide an overview of well-articulated major theories that have attempted to explain the cause(s) of depression in adolescents, and (3) evaluate the psychometric adequacy of those self-report measures of adolescent …

Quality Schools For The Next Century: A Reflective Essay, Pam J. Zeigler

Graduate Research Papers

My formal education began in 1967 in a small school in north central Iowa. The world was a lot different then. There were 13 students in my kindergarten class. We all lived with our biological mother and father. Our fathers were the "breadwinners;" our mothers were the "bread makers." We read books about Dick, Jane, and Sally and completed thousands of worksheets. We memorized facts and sat quietly while the teacher did all the talking. We thought that once we graduated from high school we were finished with school forever. Words, such as drugs, computers, and AIDS, were not a …

Development And Validation Of Flow-Injection (Continuous-Flow) Elisa Techniques., Declan Gerard Spillane

Theses

A flow-through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed based on affinity chromatography using the determination of ferritin in serum as a model system. In this method, samples and standards are introduced to separate columns containing immobilised anti-ferritin antibody, and antigen bound by solid-phase antibody is subsequently detected using an anti-ferritin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate. To detect immobilised label, p-nitrophenyl phosphate is added and product is developed in the column at room temperature. Following elution of product from the column, the absorbance is measured and the columns are regenerated using a low pH elution. The final developed system requires approximately 1.5 h for the …

Molecular Analysis Of The Factor V-Leiden Mutation In A Cardiac Transplant Patient Population, Caroline Maher

Theses

Venous thrombosis is a serious health problem affecting 1 in 1000 individuals annually. Until recently the pathogenic factors underlying thrombosis were associated with genetic defects in protein C, protein S and antithrombin III. However these were recognised in fewer than 5-10% of thrombotic patients. A breakthrough was made with the discovery of activated protein C resistance (APCr) which is associated in 90% of cases v/herein a G-->A transition in the factor V gene results in an abnormal molecule, Factor V Leiden. APCr is a major risk factor for thrombosis being present in 20-60% of thrombotic patients. Recently a G-^A …

Catalog Denison University 1998-2000

Denison University Catalogs

Denison University Course Catalog 1998-2000

Biomineralization Of Magnetic Iron Minerals In Bacteria, Richard B. Frankel, Dennis A. Bazylinski, Dirk Schϋler

Physics

Magnetotactic bacteria orient and migrate along magnetic field lines. This ability is based on a submicron assembly of single-magnetic domain iron mineral particles that elegantly solves the problem of how to construct a magnetic dipole that is large enough to be oriented in the geomagnetic field at ambient temperature, yet fit inside a micron-sized cell. The solution is based on the ability of the bacteria to accumulate high concentrations of iron, and control the deposition, size and orientation of a specific iron mineral at specific locations in the cell.

A Framework For Understanding Social Science Contributions To Ecosystem Management, Joanna Endter-Wada, Dale Blahna, Richard Krannich, Mark W. Brunson

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

We propose a framework for understanding the role that the social sciences should play in ecosystem management. Most of the ecosystem management literature assumes that scientific understanding of ecosystems is solely the purview of natural scientists. While the evolving principles of ecosystem management recognize that people play an important role, social considerations are usually limited to political and decision-making processes and to development of environmental education. This view is incomplete. The social science aspect of ecosystem management has two distinct components: one that concerns greater public involvement in the ecosystem management decision-making process, and one that concerns integrating social considerations …

Adenosine 3', 5'-Cyclic Monophosphate Activation Of Islet Chloride Channels, Anjali Varandani

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this thesis was to understand the regulation of islet Cl⁻ current by cAMP. This current, known as I_cl,islet flew is the first Cl⁻ channel current characterized in pancreatic �� cells. I_cl,islet has been hypothesized to modulate insulin secretion through changes in islet electrical activity. Both 5 ��M forskolin and 100 ��M IBMX (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine), agents that increase intracellular cAMP, were shown to activate an outwardly-rectifying ionic current in HIT cells that closely resembled I_cl,islet. The current was blocked when iodide was substituted for external Cl⁻ or when the Cl⁻ channel blocker niflumic acid was …

Changes In Gabaa̳ Receptor Expression And Alterations In Ca⁺⁺/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Ii Activity In A Hippocampal Neuronal Culture Model Of Epilepsy, Robert Eagan Blair

Theses and Dissertations

Expression levels of GABAA receptor subunits and activity of the Ca++ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) enzyme system were evaluated in an in vitro hippocampal neuronal culture model of epilepsy. Treatment of hippocampal neuronal cultures with Mg++-free media for 3 hours results in the induction of an enduring "epileptic" state as evidenced by the expression of spontaneous recurrent seizure (SRS) discharge. The induction of the SRS activity was shown to be a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, Ca++-dependent mechanism (Sombati and DeLorenzo, J Neurophys., 73 (4), 1995). Significant and long-lasting decreases in mRNA expression for the GABAA α2 and α5 …

Determination Of Rates And Patterns Of Recombination At The Maize Red Color (R1) Locus, William R. Dietrich

Theses and Dissertations

Homologous recombination has been studied in many plant and animal systems. In maize, most recombination occurs intragenically. The current study assessed the frequency and location of meiotic recombination at the maize red color (r1) gene. Three independent mutant (colorless seed) alleles derived from the colored seed allele, R-sc:124, were made heterozygous with the colored plant allele, r-r:n142. Each mutant resulted from the insertion of a Dissociation (Ds) transposable element into the 3' end of R-sc:124. In the presence of Activator (Ac), each Ds insertion allele (r-sc:mutables) produced spotted seeds and germinal reversion to fully colored seeds due to the vi …

Immunocytochemical Study Of Apoptosis Signaling In Nb2 Lymphoma Cells, Angelo P. Guanzon

Theses and Dissertations

In the absence of mitogen, administration of Dexamethasone (Dex) induces apoptosis, or programmed-cell death in the Nb2 lymphoma cell. Addition of prolactin (Prl), on the other hand, blocks this effect. As a model for apoptosis, we were able to investigate this Dex-Prl interaction by means of a morphological approach: one that could be visualized under a light microscope. This approach allowed us to achieve several aims. First, we were able to develop a method of cell quantification befitting a morphological study based upon the hemacytometer. Second, with Trypan Blue exclusion, we were able to verify Dex/Prl-responsiveness in the Nb2 cells. …

Family Governance In The Age Of Divorce, Ann Laquer Estin

Utah Law Review

In the age of divorce, the traditional picture of family governance has been substantially altered. The most striking aspects of this change are the result of new norms of family behavior. With large increases in the number of divorced and nonmarital families, many more families now find themselves before the courts disputing financial, child-rearing, and other questions. Within this context, the old rule of deference to private family governance is often not workable. These families are necessarily subject to a greater level of public intervention and regulation. But the forms of this regulation have also changed, reflecting a new and …

Toward A Contractarian Account Of Family Governance, Marsha Garrison

Utah Law Review

Families have governments; family governments are characterized by a significant level of state involvement; state prescriptions for family governance are embodied in family law, which lays out a kind of "constitution" describing the powers of family authorities and a "Bill of Rights" for family members. An awareness of this underlying governance scheme is useful because it can illuminate linkages between seemingly disparate areas of law; it can also provide a basis for evaluating specific legislative enactments and judicial pronouncements. But given the rapidity with which family law has moved toward an egalitarian, democratic model of family governance, the model embedded …