In 1975, Elongation Factor P (EF-P) protein was first discovered in the bacterium Escherichia coli. EF-P is believed to facilitate the translation of proteins by stimulating peptide bond synthesis for a number of different aminoacyl-tRNA molecules in conjunction with the 70S ribosome peptidyl transferase. Known eukaryotic homologs, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) of EF-P exist but with very low sequence conservation. Nevertheless, because of the high sequence similarities seen between bacterial EF-Ps and its low sequence similarity with eIF-5A, there is interest in the pharmaceutical industry of developing a novel antibacterial drug that inhibits EF-P. Of 322 completely sequenced bacterial genomes stored in GenBank, only one organism lacked an EF-P protein. Interestingly, sixty-six genomes were discovered to carry a duplicate copy of efp. The EF-P sequences were then used to construct a protein phylogenetic tree, which provided evidence of horizontal and vertical gene transfer as well as gene duplication. To lend support to these findings, EF-P GC content, codon usage, and nucleotide and amino acid sequences were analyzed with positive and negative controls. The adjacent 10 kb upstream and downstream regions of efp were also retrieved to determine if gene order is conserved in distantly related species. While gene order was not preserved in all species, two interesting trends were seen in some of the distantly related species. The EF-P gene was conserved beside Acetyl-CoA carboxylase genes, accB and accC in certain organisms. In addition, some efp sequences were flanked by two insertion sequence elements. Evidence of gene duplication and horizontal transfers of regions were also observed in the upstream and downstream regions of efp. In combination, phylogenetic, sequence analyses, and gene order conservation confirmed evidence of the complex history of the efp genes, which showed incongruencies relative to the universal phylogenetic tree. To determine how efp is regulated, the upstream regions of efp were used to try to predict motifs in silico. While statistically significant motifs were discovered in the upstream regions of the orthologous efp genes, no conclusive similarities to known binding sites such as the sigma factor binding sites or regulatory protein binding sites were observed. This work may facilitate and enhance the understanding of the regulation, conservation, and role of EF-P in protein translation.

This thesis characterizes how a mergers profitability and efficiency are affected by its size and by its scale economy factor d in a Cournot market with linear demand and quadratic costs. Our results allow us to challenge the widely believed view among economists that mergers typically are not profitable for the insiders (merged firms). In contrast to the minimum of 80% pre-merger market share required for the insiders to be profitable in Salant, Switzer and Reynolds (1983), our model shows that mergers with much less market share are also profitable. It is worth noting that in the market with diseconomies of scale (i.e., d>0), any two-firm merger could be profitable as long as its scale economy factor is greater than the critical value which is solely determined by the market size n. Our results also allow us to provide useful implications for antitrust laws especially the horizontal merger policy. In our model, mergers with economies of scale (i.e., d>-2 and d<0) and with more than 50% combined pre-merger market share are beneficial to both public interest and merging firms. This observation implies that even monopolies in this market could contribute positively to social welfare. This result is different from what Farrell and Shapiro (1990) and Levin (1990) have obtained in their papers that only mergers with less than 50% pre-merger market share are both profitable and efficient. Although mergers generally raise price, we find that mergers can also lower price and expand output if and only if they enjoy substantial economies of scale.

Objectives<p>The geometric configuration of skull is complex and unique to each individual. The main objectives of this study are two fold: 1) to provide a new technique to define the outline of skull profile and 2) to find the common factors defining the ultimate skull configuration in adult population. The secondary objective was to explore the effect of age and sex on skull shape formation.<p>Materials & Methods <p>Ninety-three lateral skull x-ray from the CT scan films were selected and digitized. The lateral skull surface was divided into 3 regions based on the presumed location of coronal and lambdoid sutures. A software program (Canvas 7) was used to match the outer surface of lateral skull with circular curves. Three main curvatures (frontal, parietal, occipital) were consistently identified to overlap the skull periphery. The radius, cord length and inclination of each curvature were measured.. Factor analysis technique was also used to reduce the number of variables explaining the overall shape of skull. Student t-test and regression analysis was also used to explore the effect of sex and age on skull shape. <p>Results <p>There were total of 93 patients in this study (54% male). The average values for three defined curvatures of the skull profile were recorded. Factor analysis produced 3 factors. The first factor explained 32% of total variance and was related to the overall size of the head as represented by total length and the radius of the curvature in vertex and back of the head. The second factor covered 26% of the variance representing the inverse correlation between the angle of the frontal and parietal curves. The third factor revealed the direct correlation of occipital and parietal angle. In all of these factors, the frontal zone variation was independent or opposite of the parieto-occipital zone. A strong direct association between the total length of skull, occipital curve radius and length with the sex was shown. No age related variable was identified.<p>Conclusions <p>There is a large variation in the values of different part of the skull. The skull profile topography can be defined mathematically by two distinct territories: frontal and parieto-occipital zones. These territories hinge on the coronal suture. Therefore, coronal suture may play a dominant role in final skull configuration.

Modern communication systems require high performance radio frequency (RF) and microwave circuits and devices. This is becoming increasingly challenging to realize in the content of cost/size constraints. Integrated circuits (ICs) satisfy the cost/size requirement, but performance is often sacri¯ced. For instance, high quality factor (Q factor) passive components are difficult to achieve in standard silicon-based IC processes.<p>In recent years, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices have been receiving increasing attention as a possible replacement for various on-chip passive elements, offering potential improvement in performance while maintaining high levels of integration. Variable capacitors (varactor) are common elements used in various applications. One of the MEMS variable capacitors that has been recently developed is built using deep X-ray lithography (as part of the LIGA process). This type of capacitor exhibits high quality factor at microwave frequencies.<p>The complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology dominates the silicon IC process. CMOS becomes increasingly popular for RF applications due to its advantages in level of integration, cost and power consumption. This research demonstrates a CMOS voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) design which is used to investigate methods, advantages and problems in integrating LIGA-MEMS devices to CMOS RF circuits, and to evaluate the performance of the LIGA-MEMS variable capacitor in comparison with the conventional on-chip CMOS varactor. The VCO was designed and fabricated using TSMC 0.18 micron CMOS technology. The core of the VCO, including transistors, resistors, and on-chip inductors was designed to connect to either an on-chip CMOS varactor or an off-chip LIGA-MEMS capacitor to oscillate between 2.6 GHz and 2.7 GHz. Oscillator phase noise analysis is used to compare the performance between the two capacitors. The fabricated VCO occupied an area of 1 mm^2.<p>This initial attempt at VCO fabrication did not produce a functional VCO, so the performance of the capacitors with the fabricated VCO could not be tested. However, the simulation results show that with this LIGA-MEMS capacitor, a 6.4 dB of phase noise improvement at 300 kHz offset from the carrier is possible in a CMOS-based VCO design.

This thesis presents the results of an investigation into the evaluation of a selected test bridge using instrumentation to obtain site-specific factors contributing to the evaluation, with the ultimate objective of improving the estimate of the bridges reliability in order to assess allowable loading more accurately. The experimental portion of the research program involved instrumenting the test bridge with strain gauges, and recording field measurements using two forms of loading. The analytical portion of the research program involved the analysis of the bridge in the as-designed state, based on the design drawings and specification, followed by a re-analysis of the bridge using the site-specific factors measured on-site. The bridge was evaluated using methods outlined in the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code CAN/CSA-S6-00 (CSA 2000). <p>The test bridge is located near the community of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. The bridge is constructed of steel-reinforced concrete, and there are three, three-span arch-shaped girders. There are also external steel bars added after initial construction to increase the midspan bending moment resistance. In total, 45 strain gauges were placed on the middle spans of the three girders to record strain induced by two forms of loading: controlled loading, in which a truck of known weight and dimensions was driven over the bridge in a number of pre-determined configurations, and in-situ loading, in which normal truck traffic was used. The current allowable loading on the bridge is a gross vehicle weight of 62.5 t, although increasing the allowable loading to 110 t has been proposed, along with two strengthening alternatives to make this increased loading feasible. <p>To provide a base-line analysis for comparison purposes, the bridge was first evaluated based strictly on information taken from the design drawings and specifications. The evaluation was performed using the load and resistance factor method, in which load and resistance factors were used to account for uncertainty, as well as by the mean load method, in which statistical properties of the variables parameters included in the design were used to account for uncertainty. The result of the load and resistance factor method was a live load capacity factor, indicating the overall rating of the bridge. In addition to the live load capacity factor, the mean load method was also used to determine the reliability index. The results of the as-designed analysis showed that the mean load method gave more conservative estimates of the bridge capacity. Furthermore, it was determined that, based on these assessments, the bridge would not have sufficient capacity to carry the proposed 110 t truck loads.<p>The bridge was re-evaluated using site-specific factors with the mean load method. Using the measured strains, statistical parameters were determined for live load effects, distribution factors, dynamic load allowance, and resistance. Statistical parameters that could not be obtained readily through testing were obtained from the literature. The results indicated that code-predicted estimates of a number of factors were highly conservative. Flexural and shear load effects in the girders were found to be less than 15% of the theoretical predictions, as a result of apparent arching action in the girders, generating significant axial forces. For this arching action to occur, horizontal restraint was required at the supports, either through unanticipated restraint in the bearings, or tension tie action of the tensile girder reinforcement. Furthermore, the dynamic amplification was found to be less than 1.0. The resulting reliability indices indicated that the bridge would be safe under the proposed increased allowable loading (110 t). <p>Finite element models were used to confirm the dynamic amplification observations and examine the effects of different degrees of bearing restraint. The model showed results similar to those measured for dynamic amplification. It was found that if the bearings were to become completely fixed against horizontal translation, the bridge would become overloaded as a result of increased shear effects, demonstrating the need for proper bearing maintenance. <p>An analysis of relative costs was completed to determine the most cost-effective solution for hauling logs. Assumptions were made regarding truck and maintenance and operating costs. The results indicated that the most economic solution was to use the method outlined in the research to increase the allowable loading on the bridge to 110 t, over the strengthening alternatives and simply leaving the bridge in the current state.

Our laboratory previously found that protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) existing prior to brain ischemia impaired functional outcome measured in an open field test, and one-third of animals showed a marked increase in reactive gliosis. It was hypothesized that PEM worsened stroke outcome by increasing inflammation via increased activation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB). Mongolian gerbils (11-12 wk old) were randomly assigned to a control diet (12.5% protein) or a protein-deficient diet (2%) for 28 days. The control group on average gained 4.9g and the PEM group lost 7.4g. PEM gerbils had significantly decreased food intake (P<0.001; unpaired t-test). Animals were then subjected to global ischemia or sham surgery, resulting in four experimental groups. Global ischemia was achieved by a 5 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion with tympanic temperature regulated at 36.5 ± 0.2C. PEM independently increased hippocampal NFκB activation by three times higher than control diet animals at 6hr after surgery (p=0.014; 2-factor ANOVA) detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). There was no significant effect of ischemia on NFκB activation and there was no interaction of diet and ischemia. Serum glucose and serum cortisol were also measured since both variables can be affected by PEM and can influence stroke outcome, but there was no significant effect of diet or ischemia. Because of the increased NFκB activation observed in PEM-Sham animals, a second experiment investigated if PEM also increased NFκB activation in the absence of surgery. Gerbils of the same age were randomly assigned to either control diet or PEM for 28 days but did not receive any surgery. PEM consistently increased NFκB activation. Since PEM exists in 16% of elderly stroke patients at admission, the data suggest that PEM may worsen stroke outcome through increased activation of NFκB. Because increased NFκB activation was also observed in PEM independent of ischemia, the data also have implications for the inflammatory response of protein-energy malnourished elderly in general.

The purpose of the studies reported in this thesis was to provide further evidence in support of the hypothesis that ovulation-inducing factor (OIF) is a component of seminal plasma which is conserved amongst mammals. Based on studies conducted in vivo, the results indicate that males ejaculate a substance during copulation which is responsible for the ovulatory and luteotrophic effect in female camelids. In our lab we have developed an <i>in vivo</i> llama bioassay to study the presence and biological effects of OIF in seminal plasma from different species.<p> The objective of the first experiment within the first study was to determine if llama seminal plasma would stimulate ovulation in prepubertal mice. Mice were treated with a single 0.1 mL intraperitoneal dose of 1) phosphate-buffered saline (negative control), 2) 5 µg gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), 3) 5 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or 4) llama seminal plasma. Results indicate that prepubertal mice treated with GnRH, hCG or llama seminal plasma stimulated similar proportions of mice to ovulate, which were all higher than the proportion of mice that ovulated after saline treatment. The number of oocytes observed under a stereomicroscope was also higher in all treatment groups than in mice treated with saline. However, the number of oocytes observed was lower in mice treated with seminal plasma than those treated with GnRH, both of which were similar to the number of oocytes observed in hCG treated mice.<p> In a second part of this study the corollary that OIF is present in the seminal plasma of horses and pigs was examined. Seminal plasma from horses or pigs was administered intramuscularly to female llamas and ovulation was monitored using transrectal ultrasonography. Llamas were treated with an intramuscular dose of 1) phosphate buffered saline (negative control), 2) llama seminal plasma (positive control), 3) equine seminal plasma or 4) porcine seminal plasma. Ovulations were detected in llamas treated with seminal plasma while none were observed in saline-treated llamas. The proportion of llamas that ovulated when treated with equine seminal plasma was higher than llamas treated with saline. The proportion of llamas that ovulated after porcine seminal plasma tended to differ from negative control groups, but did not reach statistical significance. The proportion of llamas that ovulated after equine or porcine seminal plasma treatment was lower than animals treated with llama seminal plasma which indicates that either OIF is not present in equal concentration among mammals, or that OIF is not structurally the same across mammals.<p> The second study was carried out to test the hypothesis that OIF stimulates LH secretion at the level of the anterior pituitary gland. The second objective was to determine if the degree of LH release was related to the dose of OIF treatment. Anterior pituitary cells (2 x 10^6 cells/ well) from either llamas (reflex ovulator) or cattle (spontaneous ovulator) were incubated for 2 hours with either media containing no treatment (control), GnRH or OIF. In all experiments, GnRH and OIF stimulated more LH secretion than control groups. An effect of dose was evident in the llama pituitary cell culture where mean LH concentrations were greater in wells treated with a higher dose of OIF in comparison to wells treated with a lower dose, both of which were higher than in wells with no treatment. Although OIF stimulated LH release in bovine cell cultures, an apparent dose response was not detected. Results indicate that the preovulatory LH surge observed after OIF treatment in camelids may be the result of OIF directly stimulating LH release from gonadotrope cells within the anterior pituitary gland. In conclusion these results illustrate that the presence and the response to OIF is conserved among species that share no relation or common reproductive strategy.

The aim of this research is to produce a model allowing me to estimate the credit risks in the aggregate and the sectors levels of the Swedish economy in response to the evaluation of key macroeconomic variables. In order to estimate the credit risk models for the Swedish economy, one-factor models were used and the employed data were covering the period from 2003 to 2011. One factor models’ estimations for the sectors facilitate a comparison of default rates’ determiners between different sectors. The analyze part of the thesis starts with the estimation of the credit risk model at the aggregate economy level and it follows by the estimation of the models for different sectors. Ten different sectors are analyzed and for all sectors, the default rate models are produced. Furthermore, the paper presents some examples of applying the estimated models to macro stress testing. The findings demonstrate that in the transport and in the sector others, the most significant macroeconomic indicators were GDP, interest rates and repo rates. But, in all other sectors: GDP, interest rates and inflation rates showed the highest significant results. All coefficients were significant at the 5 % confidence level either in aggregate level or in sectors level. The interest rates showed positive relations with the default rates while the GDP and the inflation rates showed opposite relations. Reciprocal analyzes of the sectors indicated that compared to other sectors, the default rates in the financial sector strongly depended on the GDP and in the construction sector it weakly depended on inflation rates. In addition, the credit risks were varying between the sectors. At the education and the sector others, default rates were low, fluctuated between 0 and 0.05%. In contrast, at the manufacturing, the wholesale, the transportation, and the finance sectors the default rates were very high. It fluctuated between 0.03% and 0.16%. Finally, estimated models were used for the sensitive analyze of default rates by creating shocks over the independent variables. So, these calculations provided that, the default rates in financial activities sector were the most sensible sector during the shock at the GDP and the default rates in the construction sector were the most insensible ones during the shock at the interest rates and the inflation rates. To conclude, the results of this thesis can help understand the relationship between credit risk and macroeconomic indicators. This research provides important findings on how the macroeconomic indicators influence the default rates of Swedish economy either at the aggregate or at the sectors level. The calculated models can be used for the default rates’ prediction or stress testing.

The purpose of the SCRIT project is to determine size and shape of short-lived and rarely-produced nuclei by elastic electron scattering, which is the best probe for the structure studies, for the first time. In traditional electron scattering, a solid target having an order of 1023 nuclei/cm^2 is normally used, which is not possible for short-lived and rarely-produced nuclei. In this project a Self Containing Radioactive Isotope Target scheme (SCRIT) is going to be employed. This innovative ion-trap method is shown to be a way to make measurements with a very small amount of nuclei, an order of only 106 nuclei. In order to determine the absolute cross section for elastic electron scattering for structure study, the simulates measurement of the bremsstrahlung from the trapped nuclei is required. Since the bremsstrahlung cross section for a nucleus of the atomic number Z is well know, the precise measurement of the bremsstrahlung provides the luminosity. My theme in this SCRIT project was a construction of a bremsstrahlung luminosity monitor. It consists of a position monitor for measuring the spatial distribution of bremsstrahlung and a Pb-glass Cerenkov detector for energy measurement. My efforts have been mainly devoted to the construction of a position monitor system using fiber scintillators. The construction of the position monitor was divided into five parts; detector construction, support construction, trigger detector construction, software programming, software testing and detector tests. The position monitor consists of two sets of fiber scintillation detectors. Each of them uses 16 fibers, Bicron BCF-10 with a cross section of 2x2mm^2, optically coupled to a multi-anode photomultiplier, (Hamamatsu H6568-10). The position monitor can measure the XY distribution of bremsstrahlung. Strictly speaking, the fiber detector detects not bremsstrahlung directly but electrons and/or positrons by pair creation of bremsstrahlung in a materials. The data acquisition system has been programmed in NI LabVIEW. The software is an advanced X/Y-coordinate counting system, which can additionally preform functions as save data to file and 3D-plot to determine the spreading of the bremsstrahlung luminosity. The results can be saved and transferred online to a server so that is possible to access the data from anywhere. The system has been tested using beta rays from 90Sr source. The results of the test shown that the detectors can detect minimum ionizing particle, i.e. electrons and positrons. The detector and software testings shows that the system is ready to use for luminosity measurements at SCRIT experiment. This system I constructed surely provides a new and useful information for the SCRIT experiments. / SCRIT Project

This study aims to investigate the important indicators that contribute to happiness among Beijing residence. The residents of Beijing were taken as the target population for the survey. A questionnaire was used as the main statistical instrument to collect the data from the residents in Beijing. In so doing the investigation employs Factor analyses and chi-square analyses as the main statistical tools used for the analyses in this research. The study found that Beijing residents gained greater happiness in the family, interpersonal relationships, and health status. The analysis also shows that generally, the residence of Beijing feels happier and also in terms of gender basis, females in Beijing feel happier as compare to their male counterpart. It will find that gender, age and education are statistically significant when dealing with happiness.