This research presents the first coastal and marine protected areas specific quantitative management plan evaluation protocol. This critical research gap in the coastal and marine protected area (CMPA) research literature was addressed by creating a protocol for evaluating CMPA plan quality utilizing a combination of marine protected area (MPA) and land use planning techniques for the first time, then applying it to a sample of CMPAs providing both descriptive results of CMPA plan quality and analysis of factors that might influence plan quality. A sample of CMPAs (n=40) under the jurisdiction of Florida‟s Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (CAMA) was evaluated for plan quality using 96 indicators scored as 0, 1, or 2 and then divided into five plan components: factual basis, goals and objectives, policies, tools and strategies, inter-governmental coordination and cooperation, and implementation and monitoring. Total CMPA plan quality averaged 29.40 out of a possible 50.00. CMPA plan quality ranged from 20.00 to 47.00 with a standard deviation of 7.07. Regression analysis examined the effects of CMPA context, participation, environmental threats and socioeconomic factors on CMPA plan quality. The age of CMPA plans was found to be a significant indicator of CMPA plan quality. Other significant indicators of plan quality included threatened biodiversity, participation, and percent of adjacent developed or agricultural land.

Nonlinear response history analysis is accepted as the most accurate analytical tool for seismic response determination. However, accurate estimation of displacement responses using conceptually simple, approximate analysis procedures is preferable, since there are shortcomings in the application of nonlinear response history analysis resulting from its complexity. An equivalent linearization procedure, which utilizes the familiar response spectrum analysis as the analysis tool and benefits from the capacity principles, is developed in this thesis study as an approximate method for predicting the inelastic seismic displacement response of MDOF systems under earthquake excitations. The procedure mainly consists of the construction of an equivalent linear system by reducing the stiffness of structural members which are expected to respond in the inelastic range. Different from similar studies in literature, equivalent damping is not explicitly employed in this study. Instead, predetermined spectral displacement demands are utilized in each mode of the equivalent linear system for the determination of global displacement demands. Response predictions of the equivalent linearization procedure are comparatively evaluated by using the benchmark nonlinear response history analysis results and other approximate methods including conventional pushover analysis and modal pushover analysis (MPA). It is observed that the proposed procedure results in similar accuracy with approximate methods which employ nonlinear analysis. Considering the conceptual simplicity of the procedure and the conventional analysis tools used in its application, presented equivalent linearization procedure can be suggested as a practically applicable method for the prediction of inelastic seismic displacement response parameters with sufficient accuracy.

The androgen receptor (AR) fulfils important roles for both sexes. By mediating the biological function of androgens, the AR has remained the target for endocrine therapies treating prostate cancer. The AR also determines the effectiveness of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in treating AR positive breast cancer. Every man will be affected by prostate cancer if he lives long enough. Prostate cancer continues to be a leading cause of death for males despite research into this cancer covering more than 60 years since Huggins' seminal 1941 study showing that androgens play a key role in this cancer. Unfortunately, significant advances have not been forthcoming and the effect of treatment has remained largely the same over past decades, whereby initial treatment provides temporary remission but eventually advanced cases become refractory to further intervention and the disease recurs in a more aggressive form. A plethora of factors are exquisitely sensitive to minute changes in the AR's structural profile, which can be altered by a single mutation, resulting in aberrant activity. A principal feature of these variant ARs associated with prostate cancer, is enhanced capacity to bind a number of molecules other than its cognate ligand, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The promiscuous activity of this receptor leads to continued AR signalling and stimulus for the cancer despite low androgen levels induced by treatment regimes. A key question is whether mutations occurring within the AR occur as a result of cancer or contribute to the propagation of the cancer. Recent research has demonstrated that treatments incorporating anti-androgens such as flutamide, which are designed to impede prostate cancer progression by inhibiting AR activity, may actually provide selective pressure favouring somatic mutation of the receptor to take place. The specific changes to the AR which are responsible for gains of function have not been resolved as their crystal structures, which are used to provide conformational analysis of proteins, are tremendously problematic to produce with little success found in literature. Generating representative crystals of the AR protein involves producing soluble recombinant protein. Unfortunately the AR is prone to aggregation and is highly unstable, especially in the presence of antagonistic molecules or absence of a stabilising ligand, preventing the protein from being maintained in the soluble state required for crystallization. In order to produce sufficient quantities of soluble material for crystallization, the androgen receptor's ligand binding domain (LBD) was produced as a recombinant protein in Escherichia coli bacteria strain BL21 (DE3) in the presence of DHT, flutamide, as well as in the absence of ligand. Since soluble unbound AR-LBD has not been produced until now, the bacterial culture containing no ligand was further processed to the stage of cleaving the purification tag from the recombinant protein and represents considerable progress into producing soluble material for crystallizing the troublesome yet considerably important AR in the absence of ligand. Although distinct from prostate cancer in males, AR activity in breast tissue is also a factor determining the action of drugs, such as MPA, included in therapies aimed at breast cancer. The use of MPA has declined primarily due to its adverse effects including unsuccessful generation of a biological response, as well as the advent of other drugs administered for hormonal therapies treating breast cancer. Alternative drugs are needed when breast cancer therapies fail as tumours develop resistance to primary drugs. Although there are a number of drugs on the market, success would be maximised if the determined therapy is matched with the patient, based for example, on their genetic makeup. There is a conundrum whereby some patients with an AR do not respond to MPA, a drug normally recognised by the receptor. In clinical trials it was discovered that an AR with threonine instead of methionine at residue 780 (M780T) fails to activate in response to MPA, but the exact mechanism has remained elusive and needs to be answered at the molecular level. The X-ray crystallographic studies that generate 3D images of macromolecules and wet chemistry, which have traditionally been used to provide insight into science in these dimensions, are incorporated with computer based molecular simulation. This is both complementary and distinct to traditional scientific methodologies, enabling further elucidation of protein-protein interactions, and the influence applied to such inter-relations by natural and drug ligands. This approach has been used, and is continually developed, to understand the binding mechanisms of current drugs as well as designing new drugs. In order to produce a receptor representing the M780T variant, the crystal structure representing the AR-LBD was mutated in silico, into which MPA was then docked. It was found that MPA binds into the M780T AR-LBD with considerably more spatial displacement compared to the position of DHT in the crystal structure, and is predicted to be the primary reason for the inability of MPA to activate this variant AR. The clarification of MPA binding and failure to elicit a response from the variant AR is significant for a cohort of breast cancer patients, as not only does the presence of an AR in the tumour determine the effectiveness of MPA, but correct composition of the AR, specifically, the absence of a M780T mutation. In the absence of this AR mutation, MPA could effectively be used either as an alternative to primary drugs, or in secondary therapies when primary therapies fail. Aberrant activity of variant ARs in response to MPA should also be taken into consideration when analysing drug studies about the effectiveness of MPA. The findings on the loss of response to MPA by the M780T variant AR have been included in the journal article &quotDecreased Androgen Receptor Levels and Receptor Function in Breast Cancer Contribute to the Failure of Response to Medroxyprogesterone Acetate" appearing in the September 2005 issue of Cancer Research journal.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / No presente trabalho investigou-se o desenvolvimento de novos procedimentos analíticos para a determinação simultânea de paracetamol (PAR), propifenazona (PRO) e cafeína (CAF) em formulações farmacêuticas. Três métodos foram desenvolvidos usando as técnicas de voltametria de onda quadrada (SWV) e amperometria de múltiplos pulsos (MPA) e diamante dopado com boro (BDD) como eletrodo de trabalho. Empregando a SWV, duas estratégias de análise foram desenvolvidas: (I) uso de uma célula eletroquímica convencional (modo estacionário) e o método de adição de padrão; (II) uso de análise por injeção em batelada com detecção por voltametria de onda quadrada (BIA-SWV) e o método de calibração externa. Os métodos propostos foram desenvolvidos usando como eletrólito de suporte H2SO4 0,1 mol L-1 e os parâmetros otimizados da SWV foram: potencial de condicionamento: -1,5 V durante 20 s; frequência: 60 s-1; amplitude: 50 mV e incremento de potencial: 4 mV. No método proposto empregando BIA-SWV, o volume e a velocidade de injeção otimizados foram de 100 μL e 28 μL s-1, respectivamente. Um terceiro método proposto para determinação simultânea de PAR, PRO e CAF, o procedimento de análise por injeção em batelada com detecção por amperometria de múltiplos pulsos (BIA-MPA) foi empregado. Três pulsos de potenciais foram selecionados para realização da análise: +0,90 V /50 ms: apenas o PAR foi oxidado sem a interferência dos outros dois compostos; +1,20 V /50 ms: oxidação do PAR e da PRO livre da interferência da CAF; +1,60 V /50 ms: oxidação dos três compostos (PAR, PRO e CAF). A seletividade na detecção da PRO e CAF foi obtida mediante subtração de correntes entre os amperogramas adquiridos nos potenciais selecionados e o uso de fatores de correção (FCs). Todos os procedimentos de análise desenvolvidos mostraram-se estáveis (DPR < 4,1%) e lineares (r > 0,997). O método empregando uma célula eletroquímica convencional apresentou frequência analítica de 20 análises h-1 e limites de detecção de 0,005, 0,009 e 0,006 mg L-1 para PAR, PRO e CAF, respectivamente. Os métodos BIA-SWV e BIA-MPA apresentaram frequência analítica muito superior: 80 e 75 análises h-1, respectivamente. Os limites de detecção foram de 0,3, 0,2 e 0,3 mg L-1 (BIA-SWV) e 0,2, 0,3 e 0,1 mg L-1 (BIA-MPA) para PAR, PRO e CAF, respectivamente. / In this work we investigated the development of new analytical procedures for simultaneous determination of paracetamol (PAR), propyphenazone (PRO) and caffeine (CAF) in pharmaceutical formulations. Three methods was developed using of Square wave voltammetry (SWV), multiple pulse amperometry (MPA) and boron doped diamond (BDD) with work electrode. Employing SWV, two analysis strategies were developed (I) Use of a conventional electrochemical cell (stationary mode) and the standard addition method; (II) use of batch injection analysis with detection by square wave voltammetry (BIA-SWV) and external calibration method. The proposed methods were developed using H2SO4 0.1 mol L-1 as supporting electrolyte and optimized parameters of the SWV: Conditioning potential: -1.5 V during 20 s; frequency: 60 s-1; amplitude: 50 mV and step potential: 4 mV. In the proposed method using BIA-SWV, volume and speed of optimized injection were 100 μL e 28 μL s-1, respectively. On the third method proposed for simultaneous determination of the PAR, PRO and CAF, the batch injection analysis procedure with multiple pulse amperometry detection (BIA-MPA) was employed. Three potentials pulses were selected for the analysis: +0.90 V/50 ms: only PAR was oxidized without the interference of the other two compounds; +1.20 V/50 ms: oxidation PAR and PRO without the interference of the CAF; +1.60 V/50 ms: oxidation of the three compounds (PAR, PRO and CAF). The selectivity in the detection of PRO and CAF was obtained by subtracting currents between the amperograms acquired in the selected potentials and the use of correction factors (CFs). All developed analysis procedures remained stable (RSD < 4.1%) and linear (r > 0.997). The method using a conventional electrochemical cell showed an analytical frequency of 20 analysis h-1 and limits of detection of 0.005, 0.009, and 0.006 mg L-1 for PAR, PRO, and CAF, respectively. The BIA-SWV and BIA-MPA methods presented higher analytical frequency: 80 and 75 analysis h-1, respectively. The limits of detection were 0.3, 0.2, and 0.3 mg L-1 (BIA-SWV) and 0.2, 0.3, and 0.1 mg L-1 (BIA-MPA) for PAR, PRO and CAF, respectively. / Dissertação (Mestrado)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The aim of this study was to develop a timed artificial insemination system (TAI) in suckled beef cows. For this, in 227 cows 60-80 days postpartum, received estradiol benzoate (5mg) and a vaginal device containing 250mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MAP; day 0). On day six, prostaglandin analogous (125μg), eCG (400IU) was administered and calves were removed for 88h. The device was removed on day seven (BioRep group) or on day eight (TAI group) and the cows of both groups received GnRH (100μg; day 9) 48h or 24h after device withdrawal, respectively. Experiment I: the follicular growth was daily monitored, from day 6 to day 9 (36h after GnRH), in 14 cows. The average of dominant follicle size on day nine was 11.1±0.99mm (BioRep, n=7) and 11.5±0.65mm (TAI, n=7) and all animals ovulated. Experiment II: in the BioRep group (n=106), the cows was observed for estrus behavior after withdrawal the device, twice a day during 48h and inseminated at 12h after detection; In the TAI group (n=107), the devices were withdrawn on day eight and after 24h these cows and those from the BioRep group, which were not stand in estrus, received 100μg of GnRH and TAI 16h later. The pregnancy rates were 57.6% (BioRep) and 52.3% (TAI). The time of MAP exposure and the period from MAP to GnRH did not affect the follicular dynamic and pregnancy rates. Furthermore, the treatment for eight days allows an efficient TAI system in suckled beef cows. / O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver um protocolo de inseminação artificial com tempo fixo (IATF) em vacas de corte amamentando, avaliando o intervalo entre a retirada do progestágeno e a aplicação de GnRH sobre a dinâmica folicular e a prenhez. Para isto, 227 vacas 60-80 dias pós-parto receberam benzoato de estradiol (5mg) e um pessário vaginal de acetato de medroxiprogesterona (250mg MAP; dia 0). No dia seis, cloprostenol sódico (125μg), gonadotrofina coriônica eqüina (400UI) e desmame temporário (88h). O MAP foi retirado no dia sete (Grupo BioRep) ou no dia oito (Grupo IATF) e, 48h ou 24h após os animais receberam GnRH (100μg; dia 9), respectivamente. No experimento I, o monitoramento das estruturas ovarianas de 14 vacas foi realizado a cada 24h, desde o dia seis até 36h após a aplicação de GnRH em ambos os grupos. O tamanho médio do folículo dominante no dia nove foi de 11,1±0,99mm (BioRep n=7) e 11,5±0,65mm (IATF n=7) e todos os animais ovularam. No experimento II, no grupo BioRep (n=106), após a retirada do MAP, as fêmeas foram inseminadas com detecção de estro durante 48 horas. O restante dos animais do grupo BioRep e todos do grupo IATF (n=107) receberam 100μg de GnRH (dia 9) e, após 16h, IATF. Os índices de prenhez foram de 57,6% (BioRep) e de 52,3% (IATF). O intervalo de 24h entre a retirada do MAP, mantido por 8 dias, e a aplicação de GnRH não interfere na dinâmica folicular e prenhez, viabilizando inseminar vacas de corte amamentando sem observação de estro.

Intégrer les connaissances sur la connectivité écologique dans la gestion des écosystèmes marins est essentiel, surtout dans un contexte d'appauvrissement des ressources marines et de dégradation des habitats côtiers à l'échelle mondiale. Des outils environnementaux, tels que les Aires Marines Protégées ont été mises en œuvre pour protéger la biodiversité, restaurer les écosystèmes endommagés, soutenir les pêcheries et reconstituer les stocks surexploités. Leur efficacité dépend en partie du maintien de la connectivité entre les populations marines, assurée à travers divers processus écologiques dont la dispersion larvaire. Dans le cadre de ce travail de thèse, un modèle biophysique intégrant des données de courants, issues de mesures d'altimétrie par satellite, a été utilisé pour évaluer la connectivité entre les récifs de l'océan Indien d'une part, et à travers le réseau d'AMP de Méditerranée d'autre part. Différentes méthodes d'analyse ont été utilisées, telles que la théorie des graphes et le clustering. Dans l'océan Indien occidental, l'analyse des connectivités marines montre que le nombre de connexions entre les récifs augmente avec la durée de vie larvaire des poissons. Elle met également en évidence une faible connectivité à l'échelle de la région, mais une forte inter-connectivité au sein de plusieurs sous-régions (Canal du Mozambique, Mascareignes). En Méditerranée, la connectance est globalement faible à l'échelle régionale, bien que plus importante dans le bassin occidental que le bassin oriental. L'analyse des connectivités marines montre également un taux de connectivité élevé à l'échelle d'un même pays. Selon le cas d'étude, une liste de récifs ou de sites prioritaires dans la mise en œuvre des AMP a été proposée. Enfin, les implications de ces résultats en termes de politiques transfrontalières et de coopération régionale sont discutées. / Integrating ecological connectivity into marine ecosystem management and planning is important, especially in a global context of severe fish stocks depletion and growing habitat degradation. Environmental tools such as Marine Protected Areas have been proposed to protect biodiversity, restore damaged ecosystems, sustain fisheries, and rebuild overexploited stocks. The effectiveness of marine protected areas depends in part on the maintenance of connectivity between marine populations, linked by ecological processes such as larval dispersal. In this thesis, we applied a biophysical model driven by ocean currents derived from satellite altimetry to evaluate connectivity between Western Indian Ocean reefs and across the current MPA system in the Mediterranean Sea. We applied different methods of analysis such as graph-theoretic and clustering. In the Western Indian Ocean, marine connectivity analyses show that the number of connections between reefs increases with fish pelagic larval duration. It also highlights a low connectivity across the region and a high interconnectivity within several regions (Mozambique Channel, Mascarene archipelago). In the Mediterranean Sea, connectance is globally low at the regional scale. This connectance is more important in Western than Eastern Mediterranean. Moreover, the marine connectivity analyses revealed high domestic connectivity rates. Depending on the study area, priority reefs or sites for MPA implementation are proposed. Finally, implications for transboundary marine policies and regional cooperation are discussed.

Music performance anxiety (MPA) is a significant concern for musicians of all ages, levels of mastery, and genders (Kenny, 2011). Whereas the anxiety-performance relationship has been well researched in athletes, similar research with musicians is sparse (Nordin-Bates, 2012). In the present research, video feed-forward self-modeling (FF-SM video) was explored as an intervention for use by musicians. FF-SM involves video-editing, typically, to depict a level of master performance higher than that yet attained by the individual. Although video FF-SM has been used successfully with athletes (Ste-Marie, Rymal, Vertes, & Martini, 2011) to increase self-efficacy and improve performance, its use has not yet been explored with musicians. In the present study, Bandura’s Self-efficacy Theory (1977) was used as a framework to explore whether FF-SM videos would increase self-efficacy, lower anxiety, and improve performance in adolescent musicians who self-reported MPA. Twelve string musicians, aged 13 to 18 years, who self-reported MPA took part in a two-week intervention where in one week they practiced with the use of a FF-SM video and in the alternate week they practiced without the video. At the end of each week, participants performed the selected repertoire from their video. Video FF-SM significantly increased musicians’ self-efficacy but only for those musicians who viewed the video in the second week. No changes in anxiety or performance levels were observed. Zimmerman’s triadic self-regulation model is used to explain the cyclical pattern of self-efficacy benefits. It is concluded that the FF-SM video can be an effective tool to increase self-efficacy for musicians who self-report MPA, but that an enactive experience is first needed for those benefits to occur. Research extended over a longer time frame is recommended in order to examine whether influences on anxiety and performance would emerge at a later time.

I denna studie undersöktes hur sångpedagoger ser på prestationsångest och mentala blockeringar hos sina elever. Prestationsångest hos sångare är ett relativt outforskat område, men det är en känsla som drabbar de flesta som utövar musik. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur sångpedagoger både resonerar kring och hur de hanterar sina elevers prestationsångest och andra mentala blockeringar. Arbetet genomfördes i första hand genom en enkät som sedan låg till grund för intervjuer med åtta verksamma sångpedagoger. Studien vilar på en sociokognitiv teori. Resultatet visar att alla sångpedagoger frekvent möter elever med prestationsångest och att de alla har liknande verktyg för att hantera det. En upptäckt som gjordes var att det sällan talas om prestationsångest i musikundervisning, där många paralleller gjordes till idrottspsykologi som är ett mer utforskat ämne. Sångpedagogerna använde många verktyg som tangerade mental träning men ingen av dem ansåg sig använda någon särskild metod. Det är i nuläget ovanligt att lyfta mental träning i musikundervisning men ett konstaterande som görs är att sångpedagogen måste lära sig att hantera elevers prestationsångest för att kunna hjälpa dem vidare i utvecklingen. Resultatet visar att ett gemensamt ordförråd och gemensamma verktyg att ta till vore gynnsamt. / This study examined vocal coaches’ view on performance anxiety and mental blockages in their students. Performance anxiety is a relatively unexplored area, but it’s a feeling that affects most people who practice music. The purpose of the study was to investigate how vocal coaches both reason about and how they handle their students’ performance anxiety and other mental blockages. The work was carried out through a pilot study that formed the basis for interviews with eight practicing vocal coaches. The study is based on a social cognitive theory. Results show that all vocal coaches meet students with performance anxiety on a daily basis and that they all have similar tools to work with it. A discovery that was made was that the subject of performance anxiety was rarely talked about in music education and many parallels were made to sports psychology, which is a more explored area. The vocal coaches used many tools that are used in mental training, but they all made it clear that they did not use any particular method. It is currently unusual to highlight mental training in music education, but it’s clear that the vocal coach must learn to handle the students’ performance anxiety in order to help them further in development. The result show that a common vocabulary and common tools to use would be beneficial.

Disparate student academic outcomes and program access is a problem at Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs in the Northeast United States The current admission committee members at the case university did not know institution leaders' rationale for eliminating the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) criterion. The decision to exclude the GRE as an MPA admission requirement was enacted prior to their respective tenures. The program leadership expressed interest in exploring research-based admission criteria to enhance student access and predictive outcomes. Supported by critical pedagogy and humanist theories, the purpose of this case study was to investigate admission committee members' viewpoints about the GRE's predictive efficacy for MPA applicants. Two MPA admission committee members were purposefully selected to be study participants. Data were collected via semi structured individual and focus group interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis for emergent themes. The study findings were: (a) GRE scores reduce applicant access to MPA programs; (b) student access to MPA programs may improve should universities use a broader array of non-cognitive admission assessments; (c) students with low GRE scores may still attain the MPA; and (d) the GRE Quantitative section is not relevant to assess the soft skills MPA graduates will need in the public sector. These findings can be used by the case university MPA stakeholders to implement a model of varied non-cognitive admission methods. This study may promote social change by providing MPA admission stakeholders with a broader selection of non-cognitive assessments to support increased rates of applicant access and program completion outcomes.

Assuring production forms a crucial part of mining business profitability. Factors related to various mine operations, activities and business processes can threaten required/planned mine production. To address problems and ensure production level in mining, it is necessary to implement a mine production assurance program (MPA). Since such a guideline does not exist for mining as a process industry, this study started by reviewing four such techniques used in similar industries. These methods include: total productive maintenance, six sigma, a method prescribed by European foundation of quality management, and production assurance program (PAP) used in the oil and gas industry.These methods and techniques were reviewed according to their objectives and applications. Their implementation and achieved success was determined through a literature review and field participation/study. Comparing the tools, techniques and focus with mining productivity and production factors, it was observed that applicability of these methods for mining is limited due to a lack of tools for specific analysis or a lack of consideration of the requirements of mining. However, given certain similarities in objective and methods, PAP from the oil and gas industry may provide some guidance for MPA.As a basis of MPA, an index is required to create a clear relationship between different situations which can occur in mining operation and production loss. A literature review on mining productivity improvement methods shows availability, utilisation and production performance of equipment are the key factors in determining overall production. A single index applicable for chain operation in mining is needed. Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) which includes these three elements has some limitations for application in mining. A Mine Production index (MPi) is thus proposed. This index involves all three parameters for equipment productivity mentioned above. It also consists of weights for each parameter. The weights in this study are determined through expert opinions/judgements using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). Equipment with low MPi can be labelled as bottlenecks. Weights associated with MPi calculation for bottleneck equipment can point out critical factors in equipment operation. Once bottleneck equipment and relevant critical factors are known, further analysis can be carried out to determine the exact cause of production loss.By using MPi for machine operations, it is possible to rank machines in terms of production effectiveness. When the study applied MPi to chain operations in a mining case study, a crusher was determined as bottleneck equipment. Further root cause analysis and uncertainty detection for bottleneck equipment is also possible, and this forms the basis for MPA. / CAMM - Lean mining