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This study explored the possibility that upregulation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1 (Hif-1)-responsive genes in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) would promote and stabilize HUVEC formation into inchoate vascular beds within artificial collagen gels. This experiment was designed to explore the above possibility by sub-cloning Hif-1[alpha], the related chimeric construct Hif-1[alpha]/VP16, and the marker gene dsRed into retroviral expression vectors, producing retroviral vectors containing these genes, and stably transducing HUVEC using these retroviruses. Transduced HUVEC were to be observed in cell culture as well as after implantation into artificial collagen gels that have previously supported vascular bed formation by HUVEC. Our results show, preliminarily, that HUVEC transduced with Hif-1[alpha]/VP16 go into cell-cycle arrest. Attempts to transduce HUVEC with Hif-1[alpha] failed to achieve high enough transduction efficiency to determine the cells angiogenic potential. This study concluded that more experiments need to be conducted to better characterize the effects of hypoxia-responsive gene upregulation in controlling HUVEC angiogenesis and cell-cycle signaling and that straightforward transduction of HUVEC by Hif-1[alpha]/VP16 is probably not sufficient, in itself, to induce in vitro vascular bed formation.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) - Simon Fraser University, 2006. / Theses (School of Kinesiology) / Simon Fraser University. Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in digital format and available on the World Wide Web.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Göteborg : Göteborgs universitet, 2008. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

So far the theoretical approach to weaving resistance and fabric geometry and the factors affecting it have been made for such weaves as plain, hop-sack and warp and weft faced ribs. In this work theoretical models were adopted to determine the fabric geometry and weaving resistance. Experimental and theoretical findings are in agreement. The trends of the effects on values of weaving resistance of such factors as warp elastic constant, weft tension, warp tension, the coefficient of friction of yarn against. yarn agree with the trends obtained by other workers by showing that weaving resistance increases with these factors. The results-also show that-the fabric geometry depends on warp and weft tension at-the moment of beat-up. Additionally, the change of fabric geometry across the fabric, the effect of two different let-off mechanisms,, Hattersley and WIRA/Poole, and the beaming CO processes on weaving resistance and fabric geometry were investigated. It was found that the fabric width-depends on the dynamics of fabric formation before and at the moment of beat-up.

Anxiety disorders commonly co-occur in children and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recently, treatment of anxiety using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been modified and studied in youth with ASD, with results consistently demonstrating positive treatment outcomes. In typically developing populations, CBT gains are well maintained as long as 14-years post-treatment; however, maintenance of CBT has not yet been studied in anxious youth with ASD. Using a sample of 32 youth who previously completed one of three CBT for anxiety in ASD treatment studies, the present study re-assessed parent report of anxiety symptoms in youth, 12-26 months (M = 17.16 Months; SD = 4.32) following treatment completion. Retrospective data from the original studies' screening/baseline and post-treatment time points were used in combination with newly obtained follow-up data to determine treatment maintenance. Compared to baseline, follow-up scores on all measures of anxiety were associated with large effects for treatment. Compared to post-treatment, no significant differences in scores were observed; however, scores on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale suggested a small effect for return in symptoms. While the percentage of individuals with remission of their primary anxiety diagnosis was identical at post-treatment and follow-up, significantly fewer individuals were rated as responders at follow-up as compared to post-treatment. Similar to CBT for anxiety in neurotypical youth, CBT for anxiety in youth with ASD appears to be relatively durable over a one to two year interval. Despite this, a significant portion of participants demonstrate some level of symptom regression. Future study should investigate factors associated with poor treatment maintenance, as well as modifications or additions to treatment protocols (e.g., booster sessions) that may help maintain treatment gains.

Carbon and nitrogen cycles, the energy cycle, and the hydrological cycle interact with each other; all are crucial to atmosphere–land studies. Carbon and nitrogen cycle from the atmosphere to vegetation communities and soil micro-organisms through their transformation in inorganic and organic pools. Ecosystem equilibrium, which is usually disturbed by extreme events (e.g., fires or drought), depends on the speeds of carbon and nitrogen uptake and decomposition. Terrestrial biogeochemistry models typically require hundreds to thousands of years for carbon and nitrogen in various pools to reach steady-state solutions, which are generally a function of soil temperature and soil water. Hydrological processes such as the root transpiration/water removal and the cold-region infiltration with the soil ice freeze/thaw status involved affect soil water content and soil temperature, and regulate carbon- and nitrogen-stock variations. Last but not least, mineral dust, a type of atmospheric aerosol, alters surface radiation/energy balance, and may act as cloud condensation nuclei to modify precipitation rates and eventually the hydrological cycle. Therefore, we were motivated to investigate these processes in different ecosystems. Specifically, this research aims to 1) to elucidate the carbon- and nitrogen-pool adjustment processes in different ecosystems, 2) to evaluate how the root transpiration process affects ecosystem carbon exchange patterns in Amazonia, 3) to analyze the influence of soil impermeability, which is affected by the landscape freeze/thaw status in cold regions, on hydrological cycles at high latitudes, and 4) to explore the effects of surface vegetation distribution and model resolution on surface dust emissions. The Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) was used in this study. We did numerical experiments in three environments: forest and grassland ecosystems, river basins in cold regions, and the Arabian Peninsula. Our main scientific findings are: 1) the adjustment time of the biogeochemistry components in CLM4 is longer for boreal forests than for other ecosystems, 2) with more water is lifted from deep soil, Amazonia ecosystems start to take up carbon during dry seasons, 3) the timing of boreal spring runoff simulations is improved by reducing the impermeable area underneath the snowpack, and 4) model-simulated dust emissions increase with model resolution as a result of the heterogeneities of vegetation cover and wind speed. / text

This report documents the initial inspiration, development, and rewrites that went into the creation of John Gregory Bellina’s screenplay Shut Up and Sing. Furthermore, the following pages trace the evolution of the author’s writing during the entirety of his program experience. / text

In today's society, we view new as good, a universal standpoint that has become so commonly accepted as true, that to question it would be absurd. While many new items are an upgrade over their predecessor, it is important to understand that used items still retain a high amount of value and efficacy. Our landscape is filled with the mundane, industrial elements that surround us, yet due to our familiarity with them they are pushed to the background of our consciousness. However their commonplace should not mask their true potential value. By using what is already there before us, we will limit our dependence on new materials, as well as begin to diminish our waste. The surplus of idle materials compounded by skyrocketing construction cost has set the stage for a revolutionary change to architecture. Alternative construction methodologies such as up-cycling will undeniably reconfigure the design spectrum, showcasing an entirely new layer of building materials that exists, while giving us a better understanding of our environment. Up-cycling, is the process of turning waste materials and by-products into new, useful items which will reduce our waste and limit our dependence on virgin materials. These revitalized objects create an undeniable usefulness and practicality with dynamic flexibility, all the while changing our mentality. This inventive language has the capability to dictate the way we view common objects by unveiling a potential transformation of architecture. My aim is to create a center for up-cycling education, a facility that will demonstrate the sustainable practice of re-using materials and found items in an effort to achieve an inventive dialect of sustainability that is affordable. This center will demonstrate how everyday items can be utilized in an unorthodox manner to become part of our built environment. The unique components of the structure will create dynamic spaces that encourage interaction with building materials while giving us a better understanding of our environment. This resourceful method of sustainability will showcase a potential change to architecture by revealing a new vocabulary of building materials, as well as serve as a comment on our throw away culture. This new theory of devised architecture will not only prove to be beneficial economically, but more importantly it will provide a sensible solution in creating an affordable sustainable environment. The stage is set; we must do more with less.

ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV / Images frames have always been used as information source for the Flight Test Campaigns (FTC). During the flight tests, the images displayed on the Head-Up Display (HUD) could be stored for later analysis. HUD images presents aircraft data provided by its avionics system. For a simplified Flight Test Instrumentation (FTI), where data accuracy is not a big issue, HUD images could become the primary information source. However in this case data analysis is executed manually, frame by frame for information extraction (e.g. Aircraft position parameters: Latitude; Longitude and Altitude). In approximately one hour of flight test about 36,000 frames are generated using standard-definition television format, therefore data extraction becomes complex, time consuming and prone to failures. To improve efficiency and effectiveness for this FTC, the Instituto de Pesquisas e Ensaios em Voo (IPEV - Flight Test and Research Institute) with Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA - Aeronautical Technology Institute) developed an image processing application with pattern recognition using the correlation process to extract information from different positions on the images of the HUD. Preliminary test and evaluation carried out by 2012 using HUD images of the jet fighter EMBRAER A1. The test results demonstrate satisfactory performance for this tool.