Growing evidence suggests that chronic health conditions and disability act as reliable predictors of complementary/ alternative medicine (CAM) use. Such use may have the potential for some to increase independence and quality of life. Moreover, research indicates that older people are significant consumers of CAM services. Yet, understanding profiles of older individuals of these services continues to remain under researched. Here, a widely used type of CAM was considered – massage therapy (MT). Towards better understanding MT user profiles, this study tested a modified version of the Andersen Health Behavior Model to help ascertain if it is useful towards understanding factors associated with massage therapy (MT) utilization. Respondents represented an elderly sample (aged 60+) that resided within a large urban city in Ontario Canada (Toronto). Eligible respondents at the time of the study were non-institutionalized and self-reported having one of more current chronic illness conditions which they have had for six months or more, and had been diagnosed by a medical doctor. Using a quantitative method, retrospective data were gathered using a pre-tested English-only mail questionnaire, developed specifically for this study. Data were gathered over a period of 6 months, between late 2000 to mid 2001. Bivariate analysis suggests that inequity exists whereby the ability to access massage therapy varies according to one’s socioeconomic status. This is further supported using backwards step-wise regression analysis, whereby one’s total annual household income was a strong predictor of MT use status. One’s CAM-related health and social network as well as having back problems also emerged as strong predictors of MT use. Overall findings suggest that a modified Andersen model as used in this study does have utility in relation to helping to identify potential factors associated with the utilization of massage therapy. Based on regression analysis, findings here suggest, for example, that those with higher incomes are 1.5 times more likely to use MT. This provides support that there are existing inequities regarding access to rehabilitation-oriented health care services. With population aging and rising numbers of people needing restorative and rehabilitation services, study findings will increasingly have important public health as well as health care policy related implications.

Growing evidence suggests that chronic health conditions and disability act as reliable predictors of complementary/ alternative medicine (CAM) use. Such use may have the potential for some to increase independence and quality of life. Moreover, research indicates that older people are significant consumers of CAM services. Yet, understanding profiles of older individuals of these services continues to remain under researched. Here, a widely used type of CAM was considered – massage therapy (MT). Towards better understanding MT user profiles, this study tested a modified version of the Andersen Health Behavior Model to help ascertain if it is useful towards understanding factors associated with massage therapy (MT) utilization. Respondents represented an elderly sample (aged 60+) that resided within a large urban city in Ontario Canada (Toronto). Eligible respondents at the time of the study were non-institutionalized and self-reported having one of more current chronic illness conditions which they have had for six months or more, and had been diagnosed by a medical doctor. Using a quantitative method, retrospective data were gathered using a pre-tested English-only mail questionnaire, developed specifically for this study. Data were gathered over a period of 6 months, between late 2000 to mid 2001. Bivariate analysis suggests that inequity exists whereby the ability to access massage therapy varies according to one’s socioeconomic status. This is further supported using backwards step-wise regression analysis, whereby one’s total annual household income was a strong predictor of MT use status. One’s CAM-related health and social network as well as having back problems also emerged as strong predictors of MT use. Overall findings suggest that a modified Andersen model as used in this study does have utility in relation to helping to identify potential factors associated with the utilization of massage therapy. Based on regression analysis, findings here suggest, for example, that those with higher incomes are 1.5 times more likely to use MT. This provides support that there are existing inequities regarding access to rehabilitation-oriented health care services. With population aging and rising numbers of people needing restorative and rehabilitation services, study findings will increasingly have important public health as well as health care policy related implications.

The bursted developing of 3D computer graphics on PC makes possible using it for increasing visual quality of teaching materials which are used in physic and informatic courses of secondary school. This master of science work is provided to research 3D graphic potential capabilities for interactive planetary bodies modeling. There is provided observation and analysis material about such existing modeling systems. The work contains software project for planetary body modeling system which will be used for teaching purposes. Data for system can be prepared by system’s user using Extended Markup Language (XML) standard X3D. The system makes generation and visualization of described planenetary body allowing interaction with user and providing graphic subsystem work parameters for analysis. Building of such system project requires using algorithhms which allows paralel work of PC’s central processing unit and 3D acceleration chip. They are the key for succesive system realization according users requirements. The system’s algorithms are designed in object oriented manner for making it more extensible and adjustable for needs of school’s teaching personal. It is possible to extend system functionality in the future providing demonstration of space physic laws.

Training of sportsmen is the perennial education activity possessing the specific structure and organizational form that trains physical peculiarities of sportsman, improves mental features, universally develops personality, determines it's activity, stimulates to reach excellent results. Talents in sport occur not so frequently therefore, the smallest cog slightly influencing the training of sportsmen should not be forgotten. Thus, only consecutive training system of sportsmen motivate rapid improvement of sport results. Shaping the training model of sportsmen it is essential to move towards the evidence, to escape uncertainty because the future of the training of spotsmen is not given by someone - it is being created and improved constantly that results in higher quality. The first chapter survey sport's as a social phenomenon place within society and it's function, theoretical sportsmen training system of sportsmen. The second chapter presents the training system of sportsmen and it's theorical model, peculiarities of the sports training institution. The third chapter analyzes the Lithuanian and the Siauliai sportsmen training system of sportsmen structure and models of sport training institutions, evaluates the actual situation of physical culture and sports, marks the shortcomings of the training system, presents the regional sportsmen training model.

Forest growth models are important to the forestry community because they provide means for predicting future yields and exploring different forest management practices. The purpose of this thesis is to develop an individual tree forest growth model applicable for the province of Nova Scotia. The Acadian forest of Nova Scotia is a prime example a mixed species forest which is best modelled with individual tree models. Individual tree models also permit modelling variable-density management regimes, which are important as the Province investigates new silviculture options. Rather than use the conventional regression techniques, our individual tree growth and yield model was developed using neural networks. The growth and yield model was comprised of three different neural networks: a network for each survivability, diameter increment and height increment. In general, the neural network modelling approach fit the provincial data reasonably well. In order to have a model applicable to each species in the Province, species was included as a model input; the models were able to distinguish between species and to perform nearly as well as species-specific models. It was also found that including site and stocking level indicators as model inputs improved the model. Furthermore, it was found that the GIS-based site quality index developed at UNB could be used as a site indicator rather than land capability. Finally, the trained neural networks were used to create a growth and yield model which would be limited to shorter prediction periods and a larger scale.

The purpose of this study was to develop a model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in the palmar metacarpal condyle and to evaluate the timing of the early events following impact trauma on subchondral bone and articular cartilage. In each of 12 skeletally mature horses, an impact injury was created on the palmar metacarpal condyle of one randomly chosen limb, under arthroscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. A low to moderate level of forced exercise was instituted; and horses were evaluated clinically via lameness examinations, synovial fluid analysis, and radiographs. Macroscopic examination, micro-computed tomography, and sample collection were performed following euthanasia at one month (3 horses), 4 months (4 horses), and 8-10 months (5 horses) after impact injury. There was variability in impact-lesion location, depth, and area on macroscopic inspection; histologic evaluation revealed more consistent cartilage defects due to impact injury. Cartilage degeneration, in terms of color and clarity, was observed in impacted joints. The mean sulfated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) concentration from cartilage at the impact site was significantly lower than for a similar site in control limbs. Higher concentrations of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) were observed in synovial fluid from impacted joints. Bone viability, as evaluated by the Alamar blue assay, was significantly decreased in impact specimens versus control specimens one month after impact injury. This impact injury model caused lesions consistent with mild focal osteoarthritis in the palmar metacarpophalangeal joint, involving cartilage more than subchondral bone. Further development is required to create a reliable and consistent model of naturally occurring post-traumatic osteoarthritis at this site. / Equine Guelph, University of Guelph

Model-based clustering is based on a finite mixture of distributions, where each mixture component corresponds to a different group, cluster, subpopulation, or part thereof. Gaussian mixture distributions are most often used. Criteria commonly used in choosing the number of components in a finite mixture model include the Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, and the integrated completed likelihood. The best model is taken to be the one with highest (or lowest) value of a given criterion. This approach is not reasonable because it is practically impossible to decide what to do when the difference between the best values of two models under such a criterion is ‘small’. Furthermore, it is not clear how such values should be calibrated in different situations with respect to sample size and random variables in the model, nor does it take into account the magnitude of the likelihood. It is, therefore, worthwhile considering a model-averaging approach. We consider an averaging of the top M mixture models and consider applications in clustering and classification. In the course of model averaging, the top M models often have different numbers of mixture components. Therefore, we propose a method of merging Gaussian mixture components in order to get the same number of clusters for the top M models. The idea is to list all the combinations of components for merging, and then choose the combination corresponding to the biggest adjusted Rand index (ARI) with the ‘reference model’. A weight is defined to quantify the importance of each model. The effectiveness of mixture model averaging for clustering is proved by simulated data and real data under the pgmm package, where the ARI from mixture model averaging for clustering are greater than the one of corresponding best model. The attractive feature of mixture model averaging is it’s computationally efficiency; it only uses the conditional membership probabilities. Herein, Gaussian mixture models are used but the approach could be applied effectively without modification to other mixture models. / Paul McNicholas

The New Zealand Black (NZB) mouse chromosome 13 (c13) is linked to development of autoimmunity. B6 mice containing a portion of NZBc13 (B6.NZBc13 (c13)) develop a lupus phenotype that includes: autoantibody production, increased B and T cell activation, and marginal zone B cell and myeloid dendritic cell expansions. c13 mice have a B cell intrinsic dsRNA-sensing defect, leading to increased TLR3 expression and survival. The role of the aberrant dsRNA sensing in the generation of the c13 autoimmune phenotype was assessed by generating c13 mice with TLR3 knocked out (c13.TLR3KO). Marginal zone B cell expansion and B cell activation were attenuated in c13.TLR3KO mice, but other cellular phenotypes were not affected. Autoantibody production was partially reduced. These results indicate that altered dsRNA-sensing contribute to a portion of the altered cellular phenotypes in c13 mice, but that other susceptibility loci in the c13 interval are required for full development of autoimmunity.

One of the main objectives in the Oil & Gas Industry is to constantly improve the reservoir management capabilities by using production optimization strategies that can positively impact the so-called net-present value (NPV) of a given project. In order to achieve this goal the industry is faced with the difficult task of maximizing hydrocarbon production and minimizing unwanted fluids, such as water, while sustaining or even enhancing the reservoir recovery factor by handling properly the fluids at surface facilities. A key element in this process is the understanding of the interactions between subsurface and subsurface dynamics in order to provide insightful production strategies which honor reservoir management surface facility constraints. The implementation of the ideal situation of fully coupling surface/subsurface has been hindered by the required computational efforts involved in the process. Consequently, various types of partially coupling that require less computational efforts are practically implemented. Due to importance of coupling surface and subsurface model on production optimization and taking the advantage of advancing computational performance, this research explores the concept of surface and subsurface model couplings and production optimization. The research aims at demonstrating the role of coupling of surface and subsurface model on production optimization under simple production constraint (i.e. production and injection pressure limit). The normal production prediction runs with various reservoir description (homogeneous-low permeability, homogeneous-high permeability, and heterogeneous permeability) and different fluid properties (dead-oil PVT and lived-oil PVT) were performed in order to understand the effect of coupling level, and coupling scheme with different reservoir descriptions and fluid properties on production and injection rate prediction. The result shows that for dead-oil PVT, the production rate from different coupling schemes in homogeneous and heterogeneous reservoir is less sensitive than lived-oil PVT cases. For lived-oil PVT, the production rate from different coupling schemes in homogeneous high permeability and heterogeneous permeability are more sensitive than homogeneous low permeability. The production optimization on water flooding under production and injection constraint cases is considered here also.

The 2006 Clean Water Act requires each municipality to come up with science-based plans to protect the quality and quantity of their drinking water. A literature review concerning applicable processes in Lake Ontario along with previous modelling of the lake is presented. The three dimensional Estuary, Lake and Coastal Oceans Model (ELCOM) is used to model Lake Ontario on a 2×2km grid scale. The model is forced using meteorological data from the 2006 summer season, inflows and outflows. The lake-wide model is evaluated using field data from thermistor chains and ADCPs as well as historical water level data. Simulated and observed temperature profiles compared well. However, modelled temperature profiles were slightly cooler than observed. Current results were more variable than temperature profile results but compared better to observed data in the offshore regions. Simulating Lake Ontario water levels proved to be problematic because an accurate water balance is difficult to force with a large drainage basin. A 300×300m nearshore model of the eastern portion of Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River is also presented. The open boundary is forced using temperature data which is (A) varied with depth, (B) constant with depth and (C) spatially varied over the length of the open boundary and varied with depth. Both spatially varied and non-varied water level data forcing the open boundary is also compared. Spatially varied temperature and water level data is computed from the coarse grid lake-wide model. Lake-wide coarse grid model error appears to propagate through the open boundary negatively affecting nearshore modelled current when coupling the models. It was concluded that lake-wide model results should not be used to force the open boundary for the nearshore model. Nearshore model results using constant temperature with depth forcing files and non-spatially varied water level data agree well with observed temperature profiles, but further analysis is required for better confidence in the model's ability to properly reproduce currents at a 300×300m grid scale. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-10-07 10:08:44.145