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International Cross Section Estimates Of Demand For Use In The Gtap Model, Jeffrey J. Reimer, Thomas W. Hertel

GTAP Technical Papers Archive

The making of projections often requires an economy-wide perspective, and the estimation of consumer demands at the international level. In this paper, an implicit, directly additive demand system (AIDADS) is estimated using cross-country data on consumer expenditures from the International Comparison Program (ICP), and then from Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) data. The two data sets are found to produce results that are quite consistent despite their differing origins, and the fact that the former is based on consumer goods that embody wholesale/retail margins, while margin demands are treated separately in GTAP. Given the similarity of the results, the estimation …

Winter Commencement: December 17, 2004, University Of North Dakota

UND Commencement Programs

UND Winter Commencement program from December 17, 2004.

Non-Linear Dynamics Of Marine Ecosystem Models, Georgina Anne Gibson

Marine Biology

Despite a rapid trend towards more realistic Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton (NPZ) models, in which zooplankton are presented with multiple nutritional resources, investigations into the fundamental dynamics of these newer models have been limited. The objective of this dissertation was to explore the dynamical behavior of such NPZ models parameterized for the coastal Gulf of Alaska. With alternative stationary forcing regimes and zooplankton grazing functions, the dynamics of one-dimensional NPZ models were investigated for a range of specific predation rates (h) and predation exponents (q), which together define the form of the predation (model closure) function. Oscillations in state variables are shown to …

Characterizing Glucocorticoid Levels In Five Species Of Sea Ducks Occurring In Alaska, Peter B. Nilsson

Marine Biology

Stress hormone analysis, used in conjunction with other physiological parameters, may help identify factors affecting sea duck populations in their natural environment. Corticosterone, the primary 'stress hormone' in birds, is secreted in response to a stressor and enhances an individual's chance of survival by inducing physiological and behavioral changes. Establishing a valid method for evaluating stress hormone levels in sea ducks and gaining basic information on baseline concentrations and stress response in these birds are important first steps to identify factors that may negatively affect sea duck populations. This study validated a radioimmunoassay (RIA) procedure to measure corticosterone concentrations in …

Biosorption Of Heavy Metals By Citrus Fruit Waste Materials, Santosh Bramhadev Patil

Engineering

Conventionally used processes for removing heavy metals from wastewater are usually either expensive, such as ion exchange, or inefficient, such as precipitation. An innovative technique that is both efficient and economical is biosorption, in which living and dead biomass can act as biosorbents through physical-chemical processes like ion exchange and micro-precipitation. Pectin, a structural polysaccharide present in plant cell walls, is similar to alginate, a molecule that is often responsible for the high metal uptake by algae. Based on the structural similarity between alginate and pectin, it was expected that pectin rich bio-wastes may be as good a biosorbent material …

How Chemical Differences In Dissolved Organic Matter Relate To Vegetation, Sarah Jean Seelen

Engineering

The purpose of this study was to better understand the link between dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil leachate and different vegetation attributes. Soil cores were collected from the Caribou Poker Creeks Research Watershed (CPCRW) and subjected to a laboratory leaching procedure. The leachates were then subjected to a number of analytical tests, including pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS). Py-GC/MS is a 'molecular fingerprinting' technique that was used to help determine similarities and differences in organic matter leached from soils with different vegetation attributes. Numerous statistical tests were performed including Student-t, analysis of variance, principal components analysis, and partial least squares …

Measurement Of Electron Density In The Earth's Magnetosphere Using Discrete Whistler Mode Echoes Observed On The Image Satellite, Jingbo Li

Engineering

In this thesis, a new whistler mode sounding method has been developed to measure magnetospheric electron density using the RPI instrument on the IMAGE satellite. During the 2000-2002 period, RPI frequently recorded discrete whistler mode (WM) echoes in the ~10-400 kHz frequency range when IMAGE was at low altitudes (<7000 km) in the inner plasmasphere or near its perigee in the southern hemisphere. Most discrete cases were observed in the wintertime in the southern hemisphere during the local morning or nighttime. Ray tracing simulations indicate that the discrete echoes may result from reflections of RPI signals from the earth-ionosphere boundary. By comparing the measured and calculated time dispersion of discrete WM echoes, it is possible to determine the plasma density along the ray path as well as the nonducted or ducted modes of propagation. The ray tracing simulations were carried out for 8 cases observed in the year 2002 when discrete echoes were accompanied by Z mode echoes. The 8 cases were chosen to cover the maximum and minimum local electron densities, which varied from ~300 - 4000 el/cc at the satellite location as measured from Z mode echoes. The simulations showed that the electron densities at the F2 layer peak (~250 km altitude) varied from 1 x 10⁵ to 7 X 10⁵ el/ cc for all the cases. The extrapolated electron density of the calculations at ~4000 km altitude varied from ~200 - 2000 el/cc (L <4) and ~60 - 1000 el/cc (L> 4). The extrapolated electron density at ~8000 km altitude ranged from ~100 -1000 el/cc (L <4) and from 20 - 60 el/cc (L> 4). These results are in general consistent with previous observations of plasma density in the low altitude magnetosphere. The ray tracing simulation results also indicate that in each of the 8 cases studied whistler mode …

Effects Of Electromigration On The Reliability Of Radio Frequency Microelectro Mechanical Switches, Naveen Kishore Karri

Engineering

Radio Frequency (RF) Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) switches have many advantages over semiconductor switches. Despite these advantages they are not implemented in reliability demanding space, defense and commercial applications because of reliability concerns. Although some failure modes have been identified so far, other failure modes are still under research. Electromigration, a well-known failure mechanism in interconnects, was recently recognized as a possible cause of failure in micro-switches. However, there have been no instances of electromigration studies in the literature. This thesis presents a preliminary study on the electromigration failure and its impact on the lifetime of MEMS switches. A simulation program …

Performance Analysis For Remote Power Systems In Rural Alaska, Tyler Chubb

Engineering

Due to the logistical difficulties involved in maintaining a rural Alaskan power generation facility, it is extremely important that the system function as efficiently as possible. Presently, many rural generation systems are not equipped with automated monitoring that enables knowledgeable personnel to view the performance of the system from a distant location. Consequently, system deficiencies resulting in increased fuel consumption and operating expense often go unnoticed as do potential system improvements. This thesis describes the design and implementation of a sophisticated monitoring system that consists of measurement sensors connected to an internet enabled data recorder. The monitoring system was used …

An Experimental Investigation Of Natural Freezing And Biopolymers For Permeability Modification To Reduce The Volume Of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids In Groundwater, Neil John D'Cunha

Engineering

Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) contamination is one of the major environmental concerns today. DNAPL can remain in significant quantities as residual contaminants in the low permeability zones even after the bulk phase has been removed. As the drive fluid sweeps through the aquifer it follows the path of least resistance, which is the high permeability zone. Thus the contaminants trapped in the low permeability zones remain as residuals and serve as a source for prolonged contamination. Conventional remediation techniques are ill-equipped to deal with the heterogeneities of the aquifers. Various techniques to enhance the efficiency of the conventional methods …

Resource Estimation And Analysis For Offshore Placer Deposit Using Gis Technology, Hui Li

Engineering

In this thesis, an advanced GIS system is developed to manage, analyze and distribute Alaskan near-shore marine mineral deposition data. The developed GIS system is applied in a case study of the marine gold deposits in the offshore area of Nome, Alaska. The data collected during the previous phases of the research project are compiled using several computer application softwares such as ArcGIS8.3, Microsoft Access 2000 and others. Two improved relational geodatabases are created, in which various maps integrated with digital data sets are stored. The first database is known as the 'Integrated Geodatabase', which stores all the relative data …

Predictive Semi-Empirical Analysis For Tire/Snow Interaction, Naveen Kumar Sankapalli

Engineering

A semi-analytical method is presented to predict the shear stress and motion resistance at the tire/snow interaction. The shear stress model is a function of normal pressure and slip. The main goal was to develop a simplified model by reducing the number of parameters in the model, so that the computational time could be reduced towards real time simulations. Motion resistance is calculated by integrating the horizontal component of normal pressure along the tire/terrain contact surface. The motion resistance obtained is slip dependent because the sinkage is a function of slip. The calculations of motion resistance and sinkage were done …

A Comparison Of The Pulmonary Function Of Older Endurance Athletes With Age-Matched Sedentary Controls, James Carroll Buras

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To compare the pulmonary function of older runners with non-runners and also the population norms. Method: 40 males ages 45 to 65 were compared for respiratory muscle strength, spirometry and maximum voluntary ventilation. Univariate and multivariate analysis (p < 0.05) were used to determine differences Results: No significant differences in age, height, or respiratory muscle strength were found. A significant difference was found for weight and BMI with the non-runners having greater values. The dependent variables of FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75%, PEF, and MVV resulted in a significant difference with the runners having greater values. A significant difference was also found for pulmonary function between runners and the general population. Conclusion: Continued and habitual aerobic exercise in the form of running in 45 to 65 year old men resulted in pulmonary function values that were significantly greater than those of the non-runners and also greater than population norms.

Development And Characterization Of Controlled Drug Delivery Using Nanoparticles, Li Chen

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this project was to develop new controlled drug delivery systems using nanomeric particles and characterize the delivery of drugs into cells in real time by digital fluorescence imaging microscopy techniques. The project is based on the idea that it could be possible to improve efficacy of drug molecules when encapsulated in nanometer-sized particles. Due to their small dimensions the particles could permeate through cells and tissues and even through the blood brain barrier. The anti-cancer drug Doxorubicin was encapsulated into biodegradable Poly (DL-lactideco- glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles by simple nanoprecipitation method. The small size of these particles (<200nm) could be beneficial to realize passive tumor-targeted drug delivery through enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects. These drug-containing particles showed a sustained release profile. Fluorescence images indicated that these particles can be internalized by human breast cancer MCF-7 cells by non-specific endocytosis. The bioactivity of the drugs was also tested against cell culture. The results indicated that DXR-loaded PLGA nanoaprticles could be used to deliver Doxorubicin into breast cancer cells.

Effects Of Chronic Sleep And Food Deprivation On In Vivo Levels Of Prepro-Hypocretin (Pph), Kelly Dunn

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The hypocretin peptides are two hypothalamic peptides known to be involved in both sleeping and feeding behavior, however their specific roles in these domains are not well understood. The present study sought to determine the effect of chronic (72-hour) sleep deprivation and (48-hour) food deprivation on preprohypocretin (PPH), which is the precursor for the hypocretin peptides. PPH levels were visualized and quantified via in situ hybridization. A three-factor ANOVA ( group x dorsal/ventral x medial/lateral) revealed a significant effect of subregion, specifically dorsal/middle and ventral/medial exhibited elevated PPH levels, however there was no effect of group. A between group one-way …

Wearable Personal Data Information Capture System, Jiangpeng Shi

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is motivated by development of The Wearable Personal Data Information Capture System (WPDICS), which is used to support the "physical" data stream requirement on a person as they experience daily life, including visual and audio information. To fit the acquirement of "wearable", the system should be very tiny in size and very low cost. Our purpose is to conduct a feasibility analysis for WPDICS using commercially available components (Sharp Zaurus SL 5600 Linux PDA) and evaluate the acquisition of "physical" data streams grabbed by this component. In the thesis, we also develop some software test the data acquisition, …

Wireless Intrusion Detection Sytem, John Louis Vigo Jr.

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The decrease in price and the ease of use of wireless network devices make them an attractive alternative to standard wired networks. However, the intrinsic insecurity of wireless media and weaknesses in the standards for use of wireless media leave wireless networks vulnerable to attacks from unauthorized users. The intrinsic insecurity of wireless media results from radio signals extending beyond the networks intended coverage area and the weaknesses in the standards result from the methods used for authorization and privacy. These insecurities restrict the use of wireless networks by entities that need a high level of security. This paper describes …

The Enhanced Effectiveness Of Parent Education With An Emotion Socialization Component, Angela Walter Keyees

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Parent education programs were introduced nearly 30 years ago with a primary focus on teaching parents strategies to identify and reduce incidences of noncompliance in their children, and have been the single most successful treatment approach for reducing problem behavior. However, few parent education programs address emotion regulation and its role in children's development despite the fact that research has consistently demonstrated that children who are unable to successfully regulate emotions are more likely to develop behavioral problems. Specifically, most programs fail to address the concepts of effortful control and negative affectivity, two important components of child temperament, and their …

Examining The Health Care Safety Net In The Portland Area, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Estimating Percentile-Specific Causal Effects: A Case Study Of Micronutrient Supplementation, Birth Weight, And Infant Mortality, Francesca Dominici, Scott L. Zeger, Giovanni Parmigiani, Joanne Katz, Parul Christian

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

In developing countries, higher infant mortality is partially caused by poor maternal and fetal nutrition. Clinical trials of micronutrient supplementation are aimed at reducing the risk of infant mortality by increasing birth weight. Because infant mortality is greatest among the low birth weight infants (LBW) (• 2500 grams), an effective intervention may need to increase the birth weight among the smallest babies. Although it has been demonstrated that supplementation increases the birth weight in a trial conducted in Nepal, there is inconclusive evidence that the supplementation improves their survival. It has been hypothesized that a potential benefit of the treatment …

A Hybrid Newton-Type Method For The Linear Regression In Case-Cohort Studies, Menggang Yu, Bin Nan

The University of Michigan Department of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Case-cohort designs are increasingly commonly used in large epidemiological cohort studies. Nan, Yu, and Kalbeisch (2004) provided the asymptotic results for censored linear regression models in case-cohort studies. In this article, we consider computational aspects of their proposed rank based estimating methods. We show that the rank based discontinuous estimating functions for case-cohort studies are monotone, a property established for cohort data in the literature, when generalized Gehan type of weights are used. Though the estimating problem can be formulated to a linear programming problem as that for cohort data, due to its easily uncontrollable large scale even for a …

Clemson Commencement Program, December 2004, Clemson University

Clemson Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Usa V. Al Hedaithy

2004 Decisions

USDC for the District of New Jersey

Central Florida Future, Vol. 37 No. 33, December 16, 2004

Central Florida Future

What I want for the holidays...A peek at the gifts Future writers hope to find under the tree

The Weekly Challenger, December 16, 2004, The Weekly Challenger, Et Al

Weekly Challenger Newspaper Collection

The December 16, 2004, issue of The Weekly Challenger.

Gas-Phase Chemical Characteristics Of Asian Emission Plumes Observed During Itct 2k2 Over The Eastern North Pacific Ocean, J. B. Nowak, D. D. Parrish, J. A. Neuman, J. S. Holloway, O. R. Cooper, T. B. Ryerson, Jr K. Nicks, F. Flocke, J. M. Roberts, E. Atlas, J. A. De Gouw, Stephen G. Donnelly Ph.D., E. Dunlea, G. Hübler, L. G. Huey, S. Schauffler, D. J. Tanner, C. Warneke, F. C. Fehsenfeld

Chemistry Faculty Publications

The gas-phase chemical characteristics of emission plumes transported from Asia across the Pacific Ocean observed during the Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation experiment in 2002 (ITCT 2K2) are described. Plumes measured in the troposphere from an aircraft were separated from the background air in data analysis using 1-s measurements of carbon monoxide (CO), total reactive nitrogen (NOy), and other gasphase species along with back trajectory analysis. On the basis of these measurements, Asian transport plumes with CO mixing ratios greater than 150 ppbv were observed on seven flights. Correlations between 1-s observations of CO, ozone (O3), and NOy are used …

Concord High Teacher Honored By Unh For Outstanding Service, David Sims

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

An Informatics Search For The Low-Molecular Weight Chromium-Binding Peptide, Deendayal Dinakarpandian, Vincent Morrissette, Shveta Chaudhary, Kambiz Amini, Brian Bennett, J David Van Horn

Physics Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The amino acid composition of a low molecular weight chromium binding peptide (LMWCr), isolated from bovine liver, is reportedly E:G:C:D::4:2:2:2, though its sequence has not been discovered. There is some controversy surrounding the exact biochemical forms and the action of Cr(III) in biological systems; the topic has been the subject of many experimental reports and continues to be investigated. Clarification of Cr-protein interactions will further understanding Cr(III) biochemistry and provide a basis for novel therapies based on metallocomplexes or small molecules.

Results

A genomic search of the non-redundant database for all possible decapeptides of the reported composition yields three …

Genome Sequence Of Silicibacter Pomeroyi Reveals Adaptations To The Marine Environment, Mary Ann Moran, Alison Buchan, José M. González, John F. Heidelberg, William B. Whitman, Ronald P. Klene, James R. Henriksen, Gary M. King, Robert Belas, Clay Fuqua, Lauren Brinkac, Matt Lewis, Shivani Johri, Bruce Weaver, Grace Pai, Jonathan A. Elsen, Elisha Rahe, Wade M. Sheldon, Wenying Ye, Todd R. Miller, Jane Carlton, David A. Rasko, Ian T. Paulsen, Qinghu Ren, Sean C. Daugherty, Ribert T. Deboy, Robert J. Dodson, A. Scott Durkin, Ramana Madupu, William C. Nelson, Steven A. Sullivan, M. J. Rosovitz, Daniel H. Haft

Faculty Publications

Since the recognition of prokaryotes as essential components of the oceanic food web1, bacterioplankton have been acknowledged as catalysts of most major biogeochemical processes in the sea. Studying heterotrophic bacterioplankton has been challenging, however, as most major clades have never been cultured2 or have only been grown to low densities in sea water3,4. Here we describe the genome sequence of Silicibacter pomeroyi, a member of the marine Roseobacter clade (Fig. 1), the relatives of which comprise ∼10-20% of coastal and oceanic mixed-layer bacterioplankton2,5,6,7. This first genome sequence from any major heterotrophic clade consists of a chromosome (4,109,442 base pairs) and …

Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy And Attitude: Examining The Influence Ofthe Omaha System In Nurse Managed Centers, Cherie Mooy

Master's Projects

Self-efficacy, or confidence, as an outcome behavior has been identified as influencing nursing job satisfaction and retention. Clinical learning environments and teaching strategies that build and support perceived self-efficacy are critical aspects of preparing new nurses for their entry and continuing role as professional nurses in today's information-intensive data-management healthcare environment. The purpose of this pre-test post-test study is to measure, using the C-scale (Grundy, 1992), nursing students' self-efficacy to perform patient assessment in Nurse Managed Centers (NMC) after one semester of using the Omaha System documentation framework. Nursing students' attitudes of preparation for using Standardized Nursing Languages (SNL) in …