Syftet med detta examensarbete var att undersöka om det kan finnas ett samband mellan den språkliga utformningen av en matematisk problemuppgift och elevers val av resonemang. Två grupper av elever fick arbeta med varsin matematisk uppgift med likadant innehåll men olika språklig utformning. Om det fanns skillnader i elevernas val av resonemang mellan de båda uppgifterna så kunde det indikera att det kan finnas ett samband mellan den språkliga utformningen av en matematisk problemuppgift och elevernas val av resonemang. Jag valde att arbeta med två kvalitativa metoder som i min undersökning kompletterade varandra, observation och intervju. Resultatet av undersökningen visar på ett mycket svagt samband mellan den språkliga utformningen och elevernas val av resonemang. Istället väcker resultatet nya frågor om språkets betydelse vid inlärning i matematik.

Skeletal muscle function is important to the human body for daily activities. Mechanical signals are critical to the maintenance of that function. Muscle diseases, such as the muscular dystrophies, in which the force transmission apparatus is compromised, have devastating effects on muscle function and quality of life. Mechanical signals activate intracellular signaling to maintain function. ERK2 has been shown to be quickly and strongly upregulated following stretch, leading to cell proliferation. Stretch has been shown to cause deformation of caveolae, invaginations of the plasma membrane that inhibit ERK signaling. This leads to the hypothesis that stretch induced deformation of caveolae may initiate mechanotransduction by activating ERK2. Reducing caveolin-3 expression via siRNA knockdown eradicated the stretch-induced effect on ERK2 activation, indicating that caveolin is required for the stretch response. Stabilizing caveolae structure by temperature reduction or destabilizing caveolae by cholesterol depletion resulted in changes consistent with the hypothesis that proper caveolae structure plays an important role in inhibition of signaling molecules and that deformation mediates mechanotransduction, resulting in changes in activation of ERK2.

Use the adjustable diameter fiber splicing platform to manufactured coupler, N fibers were put into the appropriate aperture silica capillaries, and then changed the taper model to manufactured fiber coupler [1], and adjusted the taper model and fusion parameters to reduce the fiber transmission loss and reduce the diameter of the fibers to achieve the optical coupling effect. We preferred to the Eisenmann & Weidel in 1988 [2]. It is a low loss of the fusion type equilateral triangle of 3¡Ñ3 fiber coupler. And we will study the asymmetric shape of an 3¡Ñ3 fiber coupler, the research method is the use of arc heating. The fiber has smaller heating area and the heating position which can be controlled. With the parameters which BeamPorp, we cut the fiber coupler and to discuss its cross-section. By the different geometric distribution of fibers, and the core spacing, we discuss the spectra of the OSA to change the coupling site. We changed the interior structure to make the power coupling to a marked effect; if we could control the asymmetric coupler explicitly then we could achieve the transmission power [3], power coupling, and the multiple spectra of light.

In architectural and sculptural practice, the eventual goal is constructing the shapes that have been designed. Due to fabrication considerations, shapes with planar faces are in demand for these practices. In this thesis, a novel computational modeling approach to design constructible shapes is introduced. This method guarantees that the resulting shapes are planar meshes with 3-valence vertices, which can always be physically constructed using planar or developable materials such as glass, sheet metal or plywood. The method introduced is inspired by the traditional sculpture and is based on the idea of carving a mesh by using slicing planes. The process of determining the slicing planes can either be interactive or automated. A framework is developed which allows user to sculpt shapes by using the in- teractive and automated processes. The framework allows user to cut a source mesh based on its edges, faces or vertices. The user can sculpt various kinds of developable surfaces by cutting the parallel edges of the mesh. The user can also introduce in- teresting conical patterns by cutting dierent vertex, edge, face combinations of the mesh.

The presence of an unpaired copy of a gene during meiosis triggers the silencing of every copy of that gene in the diploid ascus cell of Neurospora crassa, a phenomenon called Meiotic Silencing. This phenomenon has two stages: trans-sensing and meiotic silencing. If a DNA region is not detected on the opposite homologous chromosome early in meiosis (a trans-sensing failure), a signal corresponding to the unpaired region is produced that transiently silences expression of all homologous sequences. Meiotic silencing is related to RNA Silencing, a phenomenon that employs RNA-dependent RNA Polymerases (RdRPs), Argonautes, and Dicers. Dicers cleave double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) into 21-23 nucleotide RNAs. In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, two RNA silencing pathways have been identified; one is active during mitosis, and the other is active during meiosis. The mitotic RNA silencing pathway, known as “quelling”, involves an RdRP (quelling-deficient-1--qde-1), an Argonaute-like protein (quelling-deficient-2--qde-2), and two Dicer-like proteins (dicer-like-1--dcl-1 and dicer-like-2--dcl-2). Previous studies in N. crassa also revealed the involvement of an RdRP (Suppressor of ascus dominance-1--Sad-1) and an Argonaute-like protein (Suppressor of meiotic silencing-2--Sms-2) in meiotic silencing, suggesting that meiotic silencing is RNA-dependent and raising the question of whether a Dicer is involved in meiotic silencing. In this work, we tested the participation in meiotic silencing of the dcl-1 gene of N. crassa, which codes for a Dicer-like protein we call Suppressor of meiotic silencing-3--Sms-3. Crosses homozygous for mutant alleles of Sms-3 are barren, indicating that the gene is also essential for sexual development. Due to this homozygous sterility, we could only test the involvement of Sms-3 in meiotic silencing in heterozygous crosses. Under these conditions, we observed suppression of the meiotic silencing which would have otherwise been induced by the presence of unpaired DNA of reporter genes. We conclude that the Dicerlike protein Sms-3 is required for both meiotic RNA silencing and sexual development.

A new synthetic method toward 5-substituted isoxazolidines by [3 plus 2] cycloaddition of nitrones generated from nitrosobenzene and styrene was discovered. The formation of nitrones from nitrosobenzene and mono-substituted aromatic styrenes was demonstrated. The cycloaddition reactions between styrenes and nitrosobenzenes work well when a moderate excess of styrenes was employed. The labeling studies support that cleavage of the styrene double bond occurred and accounted for all the carbons in the starting materials and products. A [3 plus 2] dipolar cycloaddition is implicated by the available mechanistic data and allows for the rapid assembly of various substituted isoxazolidines directly from nitrosobenzenes, electron deficient alkenes, and styrene.

Sixteen horses (2 to 4 yr; 357 to 439 kg BW) were utilized in a randomized complete block design for a 140 d trial to determine effect of omega 3 PUFAs (n-3) supplementation on markers of inflammation in young horses in training. Horses were fed treatments consisting of a control diet (n = 8) fed at 1% BW (as fed) or a treatment diet (n = 8) of concentrate fed at 0.75% BW (as fed) and 350 g of a marine n-3 supplement formulated to provide 15 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 20 g of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Body weight and body condition scores (BCS) were obtained biweekly and concentrate adjusted accordingly. Horses were exercised 5 d/wk by students in an equine training course. Type of activity and duration was monitored, along with heart rate to quantify workload. Exercise protocol was divided into 2 phases: phase I (d 0 to110) consisted of ground work and early training under saddle, and phase II (d 111 to 140) consisted of advance maneuvers and moderate workload. Synovial fluid was obtained from right radial carpal joint by arthrocentesis every 28 d and was analyzed for white blood cell count (WBC), total protein (TP), and specific gravity (SG). Serum concentrations of carboxypeptide type II collagen (CPII) and chondroitin sulfate 846 (CS-846) were analyzed by ELISA kits. Dietary treatment did not affect synovial WBC, TP, or SG. Also, concentrations of WBC and TP also did not differ over time. SG increased over time (P < 0.001) as horses moved from phase I to phase II of the trial. Dietary treatment did not influence concentrations of CPII or CS-846. CS-846 tended to increase over time (P = 0.09) and CPII concentrations also increased (P < 0.001) in response to changes in exercise. Furthermore, all horses gained BW and BCS throughout the trial (P < 0.001), but values were not influenced by treatment. This data indicates further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of n-3 supplementation as a preventative measure against development of osteoarthritis.

There is a need in the cotton industry for cultivars with enhanced lint yield potential and high-quality fiber properties. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is a phytohormone that is predominantly responsible for cell elongation and required for primary elongation in cotton fiber development. An increase in IAA at specific fiber developmental stages may promote increased lint percent and longer fibers. Objectives of this research project were to determine how exogenous applications in a field environment affect fiber traits and lint yield potential in diverse genotypes. The first study examined application methods to ascertain the optimal placement and timing of IAA. The second study focused on genotype reactions to elevated levels of IAA. Results indicate exogenously applied IAA provided a potential yield increase but did not improve fiber length. Further research needs to be conducted to effectively understand IAA’s role in fiber development and establishing protocols for maximizing IAA potential in a field environment.

We have developed an one-pot reaction procedure to polysubstituted pyroglutamates with three contiguous chiral centers. The results were applied to the synthetic studies toward kainic acid and lycorane.

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