1545051 |
A construct of overlapping yeast artificial chromosomes spanning a seven centimorgan region of human chromosome 8p22Everson, Ted 11 1900 (has links)
An important goal of the Human Genome Project is the physical mapping of the
human genome. This thesis describes the preparation of a set of overlapping yeast
artificial chromosomes (YACs), spanning approximately a 7 centiMorgan (cM) region of
chromosome 8p22, delimited distally by D8S550 and proximally by D8S552. This set of
overlapping YACs, or YAC contig, is a useful contribution to the human genome physical
map. It will have valuable applications for the identification of sequence ready clones and
for the detection of disease genes that may be mapped to 8p22.
To construct the YAC contig, the Whitehead Institute/ Massachussetts Institute
of Technology (MIT) Center for Genome Research genomic database was searched for
YACs containing markers that were previously localized to the region of interest. A
singly-linked contig, WC8»1, was found, which identifies a set of 62 overlapping YACs
within this region. Database information for these YACs was examined in order to exclude
from analysis any YACs for which significant evidence of chimaerism was available. A
subset of YACs was chosen for further analysis; these included eight YACs with no
evidence for chimaerism, and two YACs with relatively weak evidence for chimaerism.
DNA sequence from the insert ends (terminal sequence) of a number of these YACs was
isolated by a modified bubble PCR protocol (Riley et al.,1990), a procedure that amplifies
terminal sequences. These sequences were then used to develop new markers for the
region. PCR was performed, using selected markers from WC8«1 and the new markers
designed from terminal sequences. PCR amplification of markers in the set of ten YACs resulted in the identification of overlapping YACs, forming a contig that completely
spanned the region of interest. In addition, terminal sequences from YAC 729el2 were
found to be highly similar to the murine guanine nucleotide release factor 2 (GRF2) gene; a
marker designed from this sequence was amplified in a human chromosome 5 somatic cell
hybrid, localizing this putative human gene to chromosome 5. / Medicine, Faculty of / Medical Genetics, Department of / Graduate
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1545052 |
The inclusion of students with severe visual impairments in grades 7 to 12 regular physical education classesForster, Erika Mirelle 11 1900 (has links)
Numerous researchers have argued that restricted access to
Physical Education (PE) classes results in lower fitness levels for
students with visual impairments, this is particularly true for
students with severe visual impairments (SVI), who often have lower
fitness levels than their peers with partial sight and normal sight.
This study investigated the extent to which students With SVI
are included in regular public school PE classes. The study focuses on
grades seven to twelve students with SVI who do not have additional
disabilities. The present study also sought to determine the relative
importance of the factors identified by Bishop (1986) and Watkinson
and Behtz (1986) which promote or prevent full inclusion, in
addition, this study examined the strategies commonly employed to
facilitate the inclusion of exceptional learners in regular PE classes;
namely the development and distribution of adapted PE resource
literature, the study will consider the utilization of a manual, "Moving
to Inclusion Manual for Students with Visual Impairments", designed
to facilitate the inclusion of students with SVI.
The study was exploratory and is intended to investigate the
following research questions:
1. How do District Resource Teachers- Vision (DRT-VIs) and PE
Teachers characterize or categorize the participation of their students with SVI?
2. Which activities or sports are the most difficult for teachers to
adapt for students with SVI?
3. In terms of facilitating the inclusion of students with SVI in PE, how
important are factors relating to:
• the student with a SVI;
• the family of a student with SVI;
• the school environment;
• the community; and
• the features of adapted PE resource materials (e.g.,
manuals)?
4. How helpful are the adapted resource manuals to DRT-VI's and PE
teachers?
5. Is the Moving to Inclusion Manual for Students with Visual
Impairments (MTI-VI) useful? Why or why not?
District Resource teachers- Vision (DRT-VIs) and PE Teachers
(from eight Lower Mainland school districts) who have experience
teaching students with SVI in PE participated by completing a survey
designed to address the aforementioned research questions.
The study found that there is a link between (severe) disabilities
and restricted levels of participation in PE. The study clearly demonstrates that access to PE programs can be established in
inclusive schools. In addition, the study identified areas that require
attention and modification in PE programming. For example, limited
participation of students with SVI may be connected to variables
relating to the student with a SVI, the student's family, school
environment, and community, and adapted resource materials.
Moreover, particular sports activities may pose unusual challenges to
inclusion.
Findings call attention to the need for continued investigation
into the status of students with (S)VI in PE programs. The results of
this study underscore the necessity of developing and sharing teacher
expertise and adapted PE resources in order to fully include students
with visual impairments in PE programs. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate
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1545053 |
Natal dispersal and post-weaning survival of juvenile snowshoe hares during a cycle population increaseGillis, Elizabeth A. 11 1900 (has links)
Juvenile snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in southwestern Yukon were monitored
using radio telemetry to determine the effects of litter group on natal dispersal and postweaning
survival. A total of 84 juveniles representing the four litter groups bom in 1995 were
monitored from June 1995 to April 1996 on control areas and areas in which supplemental
food was provided. Natal dispersal distance, age and date of emigration, survival rate, and
proximate cause of death were examined.
Natal dispersal distances (distance from nest site to site of first breeding) of hares
ranged from 23 m to over 16 km. Fifty percent (9/18) of juveniles whose nest sites were
known and survived until their first breeding season were classified as emigrants (dispersed a
distance further than two adult home range diameters). Emigrants did not suffer significantly
higher mortality than those individuals which did not emigrate. Neither dispersal distance nor
the proportion of hares which emigrated differed between food addition and control areas. On
the control areas, there was no evidence of sex-biased natal dispersal. However, on the food
addition areas, a higher proportion of males than females emigrated and males dispersed
significantly farther than females. This pattern possibly resulted from the increased population
density on the food addition areas.
Age at emigration varied from 31 days to 140 days, but was not related to the sex of
the individuals. Food addition had no observable effect on emigration age, however there was
a significant effect of litter group. Third litter juveniles emigrated at an older mean age (84
days) than first (48 days) and second (42 days) litter juveniles.
Twenty-eight day survival did not differ between food addition and control areas for
any litter group. Over the study period, 28-day survival of juveniles (all litters combined) did
not differ significantly from adults (juveniles: 0.91, adults: 0.93). However, when examined
by litter group, third litter survival was significantly lower than adult and second litter survival,
while fourth litter survival was significantly lower than adult, first, and second litter survival.
These differences were the result of differential survival among the litter groups during a three month period in the fall (September-November). Predation was the primary proximate cause
of death for weaned juvenile hares, accounting for 86% (37/43) of deaths. Although the
dominant predators of juvenile snowshoe hares were annual residents, avian predation was
low after November while mammalian predation was constant from mid-August through
April. No collared weaned juveniles died before mid-August. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate
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1545054 |
A control system framework for simulating forest landscape managementHafer, Mark A. 11 1900 (has links)
Traditional forest planning models, based on mathematical programming
techniques for constrained optimization, have failed to adequately address the
new realities of managing forest landscapes so as to sustain in perpetuity a full
range of intrinsic values and human benefits. This thesis proposes a general
simulation modelling framework for the analysis and management of forest
landscapes. The framework, based on state space techniques for modelling of
complex dynamic systems, addresses many of the requirements of modern
forest planning analysis.
Application of the general framework is demonstrated in the development of a
specific simulation model for designing spatially explicit harvest schedules that
balance biodiversity and timber production objectives. A state space model is
developed to predict the dynamics stand level structure over a landscape
represented in raster format. This portion of the model is shown to provide
realistic predictions of the temporal development of stand structure, and
demonstrates the potential of the state space format for representing the
physical attributes and complex dynamics of forest landscapes. An heuristic
control procedure based on simple multi-criteria decision making techniques is
developed to determine the spatial and temporal sequence of management
actions according to their combined effect on the objectives for the landscape.
To demonstrate and evaluate the feasibility of the proposed approach, the
completed model is used to simulate the management of a 3850 hectare
landscape over 150 years using a 5 year time step. Scenarios are presented to
show achieved levels of serai stage, patch size, and timber outputs under
different weightings of the corresponding management objectives. The model was able to maintain the system output within the desired limits when harvest
volume was the only specified management objective. The desired harvest
levels were achieved primarily through clearcut and heavy thinning activities.
In the case of managing for serai stage, patch size, and timber objectives the
model was an effective tool for exploring the trade-offs required to find a
balance between all seven objectives. Serai stage objectives were fully met,
although at the expense of violating the upper bound on harvest levels in
several simulation periods. Patch size objectives were met in some periods,
and were significantly improved in all other periods compared to the scenario
involving only the volume objective. This broad mix of landscape outputs was
achieved using a much wider range of harvest treatment intensities than in the
single objective case.
The case study demonstrates that it is feasible to represent a detailed
description of stand level dynamics in a spatially explicit forest level model
using readily available desktop computing systems. Such a simulation model is
intended to have application as a tool for designing alternative management
strategies to provide input to an iterative multi-objective planning process. / Science, Faculty of / Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute for / Graduate
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1545055 |
1/F components in short term heart rate variability signalsYuan, Yeh 11 1900 (has links)
When analyzing short term heart rate variability (HRV) signals using the FFT technique,
the linear trend appears to be perfect 1/f signals. The non-linear trend in short term HRV
signals produces the regression 1/f components. De-trending the data using a moving
average is an effective technique for removing the 1/f components. However, though
removing the trend may sometimes produce clearer spectral pictures of respiratory sinus
arrhythmia or the breathing frequency, it has little impact otherwise. The linear trend is
fractal, but not chaotic. The 1/f components in the signal does not imply the signal fractal;
nor does a fractal signal implies it chaotic. No evidence in the present research suggests
that the non-linear trend is fractal, nor is there evidence to suggest that the HRV signal is
fractal, or chaotic. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate
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1545056 |
A variable spacing diffraction grating created with elastomeric surface wavesClark, Alison Jane 11 1900 (has links)
This thesis concerns the first ever development of a variable spacing diffraction grating device
created with the use of elastomeric surface waves. A variable spacing grating has the ability to
deflect a laser beam to a continuous range of angles, thus allowing to steer the beam. This is
achieved by diffracting an obliquely incident laser beam from a surface on which a mechanical
wave is propagating.
Silicone rubber has an extremely low Young's modulus compared to non-elastomeric solids, and
it can be easily cast. Using this material, surface waves can be created with low power, and such
waves travel very slowly (~ 1 m/s) compared to conventional surface wave devices (-1000 m/s).
Four different types of elastomeric surface wave devices were constructed to examine their
suitability as variable spacing diffraction gratings. Two of these produced surface waves that
were suitable to diffract a laser beam.
The device which produced the biggest effect and most stable propagating surface wave a thin
membrane of silicone rubber, supported on water. It is shown that the propagation speed of such
waves is consistent with the White/Wenzel model, which predicts a dispersion relationship in
terms of the membrane thickness, tension and modulus.
Overall, this structure appears to be promising for controlled diffraction, as well as other
applications. / Science, Faculty of / Physics and Astronomy, Department of / Graduate
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1545057 |
An eclectic cry research tool for the automatic estimation of an infant’s level of distressBlack, John Scott 11 1900 (has links)
The infant cry has received strong research interest from scientists, medical doctors and
engineers for a number of decades. As an infant's primary vehicle for communication, it is believed
that the cry contains valuable information of the infant's physical and emotional well-being. As a
result, the cry has been proposed as a useful means for monitoring an infant's level of distress
(LOD).
Recently, a novel approach for estimating the LOD has been introduced based on the proven
concept of the cry being composed of recognizable cry-words. Using an established set of ten crywords,
a single value indication of an infant's LOD is obtainable called the H-value. Previous
methods for demonstrating the usefulness of this measure required complex algorithms and a
complete tool was not developed.
In this thesis the development of such a desirable tool is reported. This tool uses no single
recognition technique but rather an eclectic variety of correlation methods and simple decision rules
in conjunction with common features and techniques such as the fundamental frequency, FFT,
short-time energy and a modified power spectral density. Without computationally intensive
routines, the complexity of the system was reduced from previous methods resulting in a practical
cry research tool.
Testing of this system made use of actual cry data. Comparisons are given with previous
systems and experienced parents' LOD ratings. The tool was also implemented on both a SUN and
a PC to demonstrate the portability of the tool between different systems. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of / Graduate
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1545058 |
Air-to-air refuelling aerodynamic interactionLandry, Patrick F. 11 1900 (has links)
With the advent of the CC-130(H)T (Hercules) aircraft in the role of air tanker in support
of the CF-18A fighter aircraft, a flight testing programme was initiated in order to establish the
compatibility of the two aircraft for Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR). Concurrently, scale testing
was conducted in a low speed wind tunnel at the University of British Columbia to investigate
the effect of the CC-130H(T)'s wing-tip vortex on the CF-18A aircraft in the AAR pre-contact
position.
The scale testing was accomplished by subjecting a 1/12 scale model of the CF-18A to
the tip vortex of a generating wing placed upstream in a wind tunnel. Custom-designed mounts
allowed for variation of the model's vertical position and of the generating wing's lateral
position inside the wind tunnel. Force and pressure sensors installed on the model served to
measure the positional effects of the vortex for three AAR conditions defined by tanker vortex
strength and CF-18A angle-of-attack.
The present study has shown that, when considering the wing-tip vortex exclusively, the
optimal AAR pre-contact region is far inboard of and below the tanker wing tip, while the most
unstable region of the tip vortex is just outboard of and roughly level with the tanker's wing tip.
Furthermore, the magnitude of the aerodynamic forces on the model was observed to be
proportional to the strength of the generated vortex, and insignificant Reynolds number effects
were observed between half-speed and full-speed tests. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mechanical Engineering, Department of / Graduate
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1545059 |
An exploration of the explicit instruction of discourse markers on ESL readers’ production of oral languageHewitt, Geraldine 11 1900 (has links)
English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) students who attend academic
institutions are required to communicate orally about the texts they read but are
often anxious about their oral language proficiency. They, as well as their
instructors, have noted that oral production for ESL students can be problematic
particularly in classrooms where English is the dominant language. While previous
research has examined the written work of ESL students, this study explores the
production of their oral language.
Fourteen intermediate level ESL students at a mid-sized college/university
in British Columbia received explicit instruction in discourse marker use through
either a question-and-answer series or a graphic representation of the knowledge
structure of principles or cause and effect (Mohan, 1986). Participants analyzed
the text for key ideas and for markers that are conventionally recognized in cause
and effect discourse, then recalled the text orally. Through pre and post-tests, a
written questionnaire, a semi-controlled task in constructing graphics and in-depth
analyses of participants' oral samples, the effects of explicit instruction on the
production of oral language were researched. Findings were expressed as
observations with implications for facilitating ESL students' oral production of cause and effect discourse and possibly for their notemaking so that they might
integrate the language and content they require for their academic studies. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate
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1545060 |
Heat shock protein expression in response to stress and diabetesHoekstra, Kenneth Andrew 11 1900 (has links)
The exposure of cells to a wide range of stressors results in a highly
synchronized, genetically determined response, initiated by detection of the
stressor, which in turn leads to a regulatory response that involves the elevated
synthesis of a specific set of proteins, termed heat shock proteins (HSPs), which
serve to counteract the initial damage,and re-establish cellular homeostasis. The
expression of HSP30, 60, 70, and 90 was measured in the heart, liver, kidney, lung,
and gonads of Japanese quail exposed to seven different stressors (mild restraint,
loud noise, inescapable irritation, cold temperature, isolation in darkness and two
stressful social situations), and in the heart, liver, kidney and lung of non-diabetic
and diabetic rats exposed to seven individual stressors. Tonic Immobility (Tl) tests
were also conducted on Japanese quail to assess whether or not the stressors
increased fear response. Increased expression of HSP70 was found in the heart
tissue of birds exposed to loud noise, inescapable irritation, cold temperature and
isolation in darkness. The expression of other HSPs was not apparent in the heart
or any of the other tissues examined. Longer Tl was observed only in birds
exposed to the noise stress. Increased expression of HSP30 and HSP70 was found
in the heart tissue of non-diabetic, stressed rats. Increased expression of HSP30
and HSP70 was also found in acute (4 weeks) and chronic (12 weeks)
streptozotocin rats. In the liver, increased HSP70 expression was found for acute and chronic diabetic treatments. In the kidney, increased HSP70 expression was
found only in chronic diabetes. No change in HSP 60 or 90 was detected in any
tissues examined and the lung did not show any HSP increase. These results
support the possibility of a tissue- and class-specific HSP response when exposed
to a variety of stressors. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate
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