Humans display a 90% population level bias towards right-handedness, implying the vast majority of people have a left-hemisphere dominant for motor control. Although handedness presents a weak, but very consistent heritability across the literature (estimated to be approximately 25%), to date few genetic loci associated with this complex trait have been identified and replicated in subsequent studies. One such gene which has been found to be associated with handedness and subsequently replicated is PCSK6, most recently through a quantitative GWAS (P < 0.5*10−8, Brandler et al. (2013)). Interestingly, PCSK6 is known to activate Nodal, a morphogen involved in a highly conserved bilaterian pathway known to regulate left-right body axis determination. Here I present the first molecular characterisation of a handedness-associated region by conducting a detailed functional analysis of the PCSK6 locus, combining genetic analysis, in silico prediction and molecular assays to investigate how common genetic variants influence handedness-related phenotypes. Specifically, I defined the associated locus to be 12.7 kb in size, spanning a predicted 1.8 kb bidirectional promoter which controls the expression of both an antisense long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), and a novel short PCSK6 isoform. A series of luciferase-expressing constructs were generated to characterise the promoter, identifying a minimal sequence capable of driving transcription in a sense strand direction. I have demonstrated experimentally that one of the top associated markers in previous GWA studies, rs11855145, directly creates/disrupts a suspected transcription factor bind site in the vicinity of this bidirectional promoter. Further functional studies of the genetic variation within PCSK6 may help explain the molecular regulatory mechanisms affecting gene expression. This project provides a model for assays to study other GWAS-nominated candidate genes, and in particular for establishing the role of noncoding variants. The findings from this study support the role of common variants in influencing complex phenotypes, such as handedness.

No description available.

Every positive integer has a unique radix 2 representation which uses the digits {0,1}. However, if we allow digits other than 0 and 1, say {0,1,-1}, then a positive integer has many representations. Of these <i>redundant</i> representations, it is possible to choose one that has few nonzero digits. It is well known that using representations of integers with few nonzero digits allows certain algebraic operations to be done more quickly. This thesis is concerned with various representations of integers that are related to efficient implementations of algebraic operations in cryptographic algorithms. The topics covered here include: <ul> <li> <i>The width-w nonadjacent form (w-NAF)</i>. We prove that the <i>w</i>-NAF of an integer has a minimal number of nonzero digits; that is, no other representation of an integer, which uses the <i>w</i>-NAF digits, can have fewer nonzero digits than its <i>w</i>-NAF. </li> <li><i>A left-to-right analogue of the w-NAF</i>. We introduce a new family of radix 2 representations which use the same digits as the <i>w</i>-NAF, but have the property that they can be computed by sliding a window from left to right across the binary representation of an integer. We show these new representations have a minimal number of nonzero digits. </li> <li><i>Joint representations</i>. Solinas introduced a {0,1,-1}-radix 2 representation for pairs of integers called the joint sparse form. We consider generalizations of the joint sparse form which represent <i>r</i>&ge;2 integers and use digits other than {0,1,-1}. We show how to construct a {0,1,2,3}-joint representation that has a minimal number of nonzero columns. </li> <li><i>Nonadjacent digit sets</i>. It is well known that if <i>x</i> equals 3 or -1 then every nonnegative integer has a unique {0,1,<i>x</i>}-nonadjacent form; that is, a {0,1,<i>x</i>}-radix 2 representation with the property that, of any two consecutive digits, at most one is nonzero. We investigate what other values of <i>x</i> have this property. </li> </ul>

No description available.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1991.

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. / Bibliography: leaves 193-228. / xvi, 235 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The aim of this thesis is to provide evidence of a training related effect on neural control of a muscle in individuals who have long standing different patterns of use of their muscles. The study examines the motor unit (MU) discharge properties in first dorsal interosseous muscle of individuals who had experienced very different usage patterns of their hand muscles and explores the relationship between different muscle usage patterns and involuntary force fluctuations (tremor). It evaluates the importance of the shared branched-axon inputs to motor neurons in the production of common drive and investigates the relationship between different measures of MU sychronization. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 1997?

Thesis (D.Psych.)--Murdoch University, 2006. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Health Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-190).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 1996. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-145).

Thesis (doctoral)--Université de Clermont-Ferrand, 1976.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiteit Utrecht, 1995. / Summaries in English and French.