In certain experimental situations, the data observed are pseudo-proportional. By this, we observe the numerator, the number of responders, but the denominator, the total number, is random and, possibly, unobserved. In such situations, the data often exhibit "extra" variability due to the randomness of the denominator. Analysis of these data should account for this overdispersion. Several authors have proposed parametric approaches to this problem. Finney [Biometrika (1949) 36, 239-256] proposed the use of a mixture of the binomial and Poisson distributions. Anscombe [Annals of Applied Biology (1949) 36, 203-205] discussed the use of a mixture of the binomial and negative binomial distributions. Margolin et al. [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (1981) 78, 3779-3783] suggested the use of a gamma mixture of Poisson distributions. While it is true that these approaches provide a means of handling overdispersion, the choice of the distributions used often is based on mathematical convenience. To avoid making full distributional assumptions, Kim [Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation (1991), UCLA] applied quasi-likelihood methodology to overdispersed binomial data. In his method, he assumed that the conditional mean and variance of the numerator was that of a binomial distribution, and that the mean of the distribution of the denominator was known, but that its variance was unknown. Using conditional arguments, he arrived at the unconditional mean and variance of the numerator. With the form of the first two moments of the numerator, Kim used quasi-likelihood method of moments estimation to get estimates of the unknown parameters. In this dissertation, Kim's results are generalized to allow the denominator to have an unknown mean and variance, and estimation is achieved using a generalized quasilikelihood method of moments technique. In addition, methodology is developed that allows for overdispersion in both the numerator and denominator. Here, extended quasilikelihood techniques are used for estimation of any unknown parameters. Properties of the estimators were studied via a simulation study which suggests the extended quasilikelihood estimates are not asymptotically normally distributed. Also, goodness-of-link testing is described for use in maximum likelihood, as well as, quasi-likelihood estimation. The methods developed here are illustrated by the analysis of data from a colony formation assay involving serial dilutions.

Arithmetic problems and the mastery of such problems play an important role in society as it exists today. The pressure from the public has been and is for better teaching of the basic skills. Public school teachers have often evaded this issue (2). For the past decade the emphasis has been "Why Johnny Can't Read," but it seems equally important, because of the relationship of reading and arithmetic, that the focus also center on the mathematical phase of educa­tion (8). A working knowledge of arithmetic is required in our present day society. Almost all means of earning a livelihood, and certainly the running of a budget for the home, require a working knowledge of arithmetic. The atomic age requires a knowledge of arithmetic. Science demands more and better educated people, with the emphasis on math­ematics. It is impossible to advance far in any scientific field with­ out the ability to understand and to use the principles of arithmetic. Industrial leaders insist that a way should be found to eradicate the errors found to be most common in our attempts to solve simple arithmetic problems. Teachers often make little use of the material which is available on the teaching of arithmetic and the diagnosis and eradication of errors. This study has been prepared in an effort to identify these errors and thus aid the teachers in eradicating such error

<p>After developing the clover-leaf geometry system, the system was used for the first time in a major survey in 2008 to measure the lead levels of 497 smelter employees in the province of New Brunswick in Canada, who participated in a lead study during the time interval of 14 January to 6 March 2008. Participants were measured for lead concentration in the left tibia and right calcaneus, each for 30 min. The minimum detection limit (MDL) of the clover leaf geometry detector system was improved by a factor 3.1 compared to a conventional system. Improvement of the detection system makes low-level environmental lead exposure studies relating to public health possible. This is important because low-level lead exposure has been well known to have many adverse health effects. Also, since the delivered effective dose is small (50 nSv), the technique can be used to measure the bone lead of sensitive populations such as the elderly and children. A total of 263 of individuals participated in a pilot study of bone and blood lead measurements supported by Health Canada’s Chemical Management Plan. The study was conducted in collaboration with McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Health Centre located in Toronto. Participants were measured for bone lead (calcaneus and tibia) concentration and whole blood and serum lead levels. Among participants 17 (6.5%) of them were 1 to 5 years old; 37 (14%) of them 6 to 10; 44 (17%) of them 11 to 19; 47 (18%) of them 20 to 35; 36 (14%) of them 36 to 50; 46 (17.5%) of them 51 to 64, and finally 19 (7%) of them belonged to age range of 65 to 85 years old. v In most of the previous work, the relationship between bone lead concentration and Cumulative Blood Lead Index (CBLI) was considered to be linear. In the study of a cohort of smetler employees we observed a non- linear relationship between CBLI and bone lead contents. The study showed that for the higher values of CBLI (earlier hired smelter employees), the tranfer rate of lead from blood to bone becomes more efficient. Oppositly, we obsrved that for a higher levels of CBLI, the transfer rate of lead from bone to blood is less efficient and lead stays in bone longer. In this study, for the first time the transfer rate of lead from bone to blood was estimated as a funtion of predictors including age, employment time, and body lead contents for smelter employees.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The study of tropical forest fragmentation addresses the difficult issues of diminishing forest area and concurrent biodiversity losses. In recent years much of the deforestation of the tropics has been challenged with policy changes and conservation efforts. The Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology, located in Costa Rica, is an area of relatively conserved and restored forest fragments that has proven resilient. This study focuses on a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, used to assess the level of forest fragmentation in the area. Fragmentation is the process by which continuous forest is diminished into smaller, geographically isolated portions of forest. It was determined that the area is relatively unfragmented, as compared to it’s status in 1972. Though anthropogenic stresses continue, fragmentation of primary forest is limited and the majority of forested area is in large, semi-continuous blocks made up of a mixture of primary and secondary forest, which likely allows for a preservation of biodiversity in the region. Further on-site studies are necessary to fully evaluate the level of anthropogenic stress on the region. However, compared to many tropical areas, Costa Rica is conserving forest and ecological diversity.

The study of tropical forest fragmentation addresses the difficult issues of diminishing forest area and concurrent biodiversity losses. In recent years much of the deforestation of the tropics has been challenged with policy changes and conservation efforts. The Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology, located in Costa Rica, is an area of relatively conserved and restored forest fragments that has proven resilient. This study focuses on a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, used to assess the level of forest fragmentation in the area. Fragmentation is the process by which continuous forest is diminished into smaller, geographically isolated portions of forest. It was determined that the area is relatively unfragmented, as compared to it’s status in 1972. Though anthropogenic stresses continue, fragmentation of primary forest is limited and the majority of forested area is in large, semi-continuous blocks made up of a mixture of primary and secondary forest, which likely allows for a preservation of biodiversity in the region. Further on-site studies are necessary to fully evaluate the level of anthropogenic stress on the region. However, compared to many tropical areas, Costa Rica is conserving forest and ecological diversity.

Productivity and success in research is often difficult to quantify but is an important factor when determining future funding for the researcher. When trying to quantify factors attributed to productivity and success there are several data points that are produced such as the number of publications and success in future funding. It is important though to normalize these data points off previous funding, time spent doing research, and base pay of the researcher to insure accurate representation. Using this data, it is possible to find the productivity of the research correlated with the amount of research funding. This data obtained from the East Tennessee State University office of research and sponsored programs can be analyzed utilizing analytical software to find correlations within the data. This allowed us to determine if there is an inflection point at which productivity dips associated with research funding, as well as the productivity per research dollar for different disciplines. It is predicted that for many disciplines there will be an inflection point for which per research dollar the productivity will no longer increase. It is also predicted that for many hard sciences disciplines the productivity per research dollar will be less at the beginning, and then there will be a spike due to the greater startup cost associated with these disciplines. Inversely, it is predicted that in the softer sciences and humanities that productivity will be much greater per research dollar in the beginning and then tapper at the end.

The introduction of the aerosol shaving lather stimulated widespread application of the aerosol foam as a new dosage form vehicle. Medication of different types has been incorporated into these aerosol foams and has been employed for both topical and oral administration.

Many topics that mathematicians study at times seem so unrelated such as Geometry and Abstract Algebra. These two branches of math would seem unrelated at first glance. I will try to bridge Geometry and Abstract Algebra just a bit with the following topics. We can be sure that after we construct our basic parallel and perpendicular lines, bisected angles, regular polygons, and other basic geometric figures, we are actually constructing what in geometry is simply stated and accepted, because it will be proven using abstract algebra. Also we will look at many classic problems in Geometry that are not possible with only straightedge and compass but need a marked ruler.

For DNA molecules, topological complexity occurs exclusively as the result of knotting or linking of the polynucleotide backbone. By contrast, while a few knots and links have been found within the polypeptide backbones of some protein structures, non-planarity can also result from the connectivity between a polypeptide chain and attached metal structures. In this thesis, we survey the known types of knots, links, and non-planar graphs in protein structures with and without including such bonds between proteins and metals. Then we present new examples of protein structures containing M\"obius ladders and other non-planar graphs as a result of these bound metal atoms. Finally, we propose hypothetical structures illustrating specific disulfide connectivities that would result in the key ring link, the Whitehead link and the 5_1 knot, the latter two of which have thus far not been identified within protein structures.

Hydrogen can be an unlimited source of clean energy for future because of its very high energy density compared to the conventional fuels like gasoline. An efficient and safer way of storing hydrogen is in metals and alloys as hydrides. Light metal hydrides, alanates and borohydrides have very good hydrogen storage capacity, but high operation temperatures hinder their application. Improvement of thermodynamic properties of these hydrides is important for their commercial use as a source of energy. Application of pressure on materials can have influence on their properties favoring hydrogen storage. Hydrogen desorption in many complex hydrides occurs above the transition temperature. Therefore, it is important to study the physical properties of the hydride compounds at ambient and high pressure and/or high temperature conditions, which can assist in the design of suitable storage materials with desired thermodynamic properties. The high pressure-temperature phase diagram, thermal expansion and compressibility have only been evaluated for a limited number of hydrides so far. This situation serves as a main motivation for studying such properties of a number of technologically important hydrides. Focus of this dissertation was on X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies of Mg2FeH6, Ca(BH4)2, Mg(BH4)2, NaBH4, NaAlH4, LiAlH4, LiNH2BH3 and mixture of MgH2 with AlH3 or Si, at different conditions of pressure and temperature, to obtain their bulk modulus and thermal expansion coefficient. These data are potential source of information regarding inter-atomic forces and also serve as a basis for developing theoretical models. Some high pressure phases were identified for the complex hydrides in this study which may have better hydrogen storage properties than the ambient phase. The results showed that the highly compressible B-H or Al-H bonds and the associated bond disordering under pressure is responsible for phase transitions observed in brorohydrides or alanates. Complex hydrides exhibited very high compressibility suggesting possibility to destabilize them with pressure. With high capacity and favorable thermodynamics, complex hydrides are suitable for reversible storage. Further studies are required to overcome the kinetic barriers in complex hydrides by catalytic addition. A comparative study of the hydride properties with that of the constituting metal, and their inter relationships were carried out with many interesting features.