Thesis (M.S.), Human Environmental Sciences--University of Central Oklahoma, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 31-34).

Abstract The ambition to increase the production of paper has made paper machine runnability widely studied in recent decades. Paper machine runnability is often measured by the number of web breaks in comparison with paper machine speed. When runnability is good, a machine can be run at the desired speed with the least possible number of breaks. Web break sensitivity means the number of breaks in a day, which can also be understood as a measurement of paper machine runnability. This study presents an application for the evaluation of web break sensitivity in a paper machine. A web break sensitivity indicator was built using the basic principles of case-based reasoning with a linguistic equations approach and basic fuzzy logic. The indicator combines on-line measurement data with expert knowledge and provides a continuous indication of break sensitivity. Web break sensitivity defines the current operating situation at the paper mill and provides new information to operators. Web break sensitivity is presented as a continuous signal with information about actual web breaks depicted as an eight-hour trend. The trend shows how the situation has developed and the current value gives a prediction for the next 24 hours if the situation stays as it is now. Together with information about the most important variables, this prediction gives operators enough time to react to the changing operating situation. From the methodological point of view, a new tool for building case-based reasoning applications for other purposes was also tested and found to be suitable for diagnostic applications.

This study examines the immediate and chronic effects of physical activity (PA) breaks on reading fluency. While many teachers recognize the value of PA for increasing engagement and focus (getting the wiggles out) in academic endeavors, these results reveal increases in academic achievement in reading fluency are also possible.This study examines 384 second and third grade students with low income backgrounds from the Rocky Mountain region. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the effects of chronic and acute brain breaks via GoNoodle© (McQuigg, 2013) on reading fluency and physical activity (steps). Between group differences were further examined using a series of Bonferroni adjusted one-way ANOVAs. A significant acute main effect was evident for (a), and (b) WR (F(1, 380) = 14.54, p < .001). Also, there was a trend toward a significant acute main effect on WPM (F(1, 380) = 4.02, p = .046) and chronic effects on WPM (F(1,380 = 3.13, p = .078) and accuracy (F(1, 380) = 4.45, p = .036).Correlational analysis reveals relationships among selected variables were in the anticipated direction. Analysis reveals significant, positive correlations between free and reduced lunch (FRL) status and reading fluency scores. Moving off free and reduced lunch status is related to small to moderately higher fluency scores: WPM (r = .34), accuracy (r = .14), WR (r = .22), and WIDA (r = .35). Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) fluency indices show strong positive correlations among themselves and share significant and strongly positive correlations with WIDA scores. Data suggests that higher SES are positively related to higher levels of reading fluency on both the DIBELS and WIDA measures. Also, as anticipated, the DIBELS and WIDA appear to share a strong relationship in measuring reading fluency.In today's educational landscape of high stakes testing perhaps the value of frequent PA breaks such as GoNoodle© have merit. Reading fluency (WPM, accuracy, and WR) and PA are linked and PA has been found to have a positive impact on the reading culture in the classroom.

In the current market, there is a large number of SMEs that have a large margin of economic losses due to lack of stocks, due to the supply process. In other words, the lost sales and the costs of the services generated by not having their products available in their warehouses is a critical scenario in the distribution companies, whose added value lies in maximizing their level of customer service. To solve this problem, we propose a system that integrates the development of the attention and the model of the inventories of the periodic review, the bases based on the framework of the work. The results, after analyzing the demand, their patterns and choosing the best method to use, are antecedents to develop the management of inventories and their policies. Likewise, knowledge management will act as an integrated support. Through the simulation carried out for a distribution of lubricants, results were obtained that indicate a reduction of 93% in losses due to stock-outs and an increase in the service level that goes from 77% to 91%. This is an integrated system of interest to be applied as a solution for SMEs that have high stock-outs and lack this type of tools..

Cell proliferation plays an important role in multistage chemical carcinogenesis. Again, several reports demonstrated that upregulation of metallothionein (MT) expression is associated with increased cell proliferation that may contribute to the pathogenesis of preneoplastic phenotype to frank malignancy. In this study, we evaluated the roles of early DNA damage, altered expressions of liver MT and Ki-67 nuclear antigen, and altered hepatic levels of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) on cell proliferation and the progression of hepatocarcinogenesis through premalignant, late premalignant and malignant transformation phases in male Sprague-Dawley rats. We have further studied the association between MT expression and cell proliferation in hepatocarcinogenesis. There was substantial induction of DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) (P < 0.001) and development of hepatocellular premalignant lesions along with significant decrease in hepatic levels of Zn and increase in Cu content following a single, necrogenic, intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection (200 mg/Kg body weight) of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) at week 4 of the experimental protocol. Moreover, DEN + phenobarbital (PB)-treatment significantly elevated MT-, Ki-67-, and BrdU-immunoexpressions along with their immunolabeling indices. Furthermore, positive correlations between MT- and Ki-67- labeling (P = 0.0006) at various time intervals, as well as, between MT immunoreactivity and 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-labeling index (BrdU-LI) (P = 0.0007) indicate that, MT expression might be associated with Ki-67 expression and cell proliferation thereby. The study suggests that DEN treatment may lead to alteration of Zn and Cu levels resulting in early DNA damage along with elevation of MT expression that may ultimately lead to hepatic cell proliferation. The results thus provide evidence in support of the role of MT as a potential positive regulator of cell growth during the early stages of hepatocellular transformation in rats.

Les poly(ADP-ribose) polymérases (PARPs/ARTDs) sont des senseurs des cassures de l’ADN et utilisent la nicotinamide adénine dinucléotide (NAD+) pour synthétiser un polymère de poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) long et branché attaché aux résidus accepteurs des protéines nucléaires. Le travail présent montre que les protéines des mammifères PARP-1, PARP-2 et PARP-3 sont capables d’ADPribosyler les extrémités des duplex d’oligonucléotides in vitro. PARP-1 modifie préférentiellement les substrats resequés, alors que PARP-2 et PARP-3 modifient préférentiellement les substrats avec un nick, et sont capables d’ADP-ribosyler les groupements phosphate en 5’ ou 3’ au niveau des extrémités des cassures double brin des duplex d’ADN contenant à proximité un nick ou gap phosphorylé en 5’. Cet étude présente une caractérisationdétaillée des préférences de substrat d’ADN pour les enzymes structuralement proches PARP-2 et PARP-3, et propose un modèle putatif du mécanisme de l’ADP-ribosylation des extrémités de l’ADN catalysée par PARP-3 et PARP-2. L’ADPribosylationefficiente d’un fragment d’ADN d’environ 3kb par PARP-3 et PARP-2, l’ADPribosylationmédiée par les PARPs dans les extrait cellulaires ainsi qu’un signal persistant générée par l’anticorps anti-PAR sur de l’ADN génomique purifié en série à partir des cellules HeLa déplétées de PARG et traitées à la bléomycine suggèrent que certains types de cassures complexes de l’ADN peuvent être efficacement PARylés par les PARPs comme réponse cellulaire aux dommages de l’ADN. Cet nouveau type de modification postréplicative de l’ADN médiée par les PARPs in vitro apporte des nouveaux éléments sur les mécanismes moléculaires sous-jacents aux enzymes qui catalysent l’ADP-ribosylation. / Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs/ARTDs) act as DNA break sensors and use nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to catalyze the synthesis of a long branched poly(ADP-ribose) polymer (PAR) attached to the acceptor residues of nuclear proteins. The present work shows that mammalian PARP-1, PARP-2 and PARP-3 can ADP-ribosylate strand break termini in DNA oligonucleotide duplexes in vitro. PARP-1 preferentially modifies recessed substrates, while PARP2 and PARP3 preferentially modify nicked DNA and can ADPribosylate 5′- and 3′-terminal phosphate residues at double-strand break termini of a DNA duplex containing a proximal 5′-phosphorylated nick or a gap. This work provides detailed characterization of DNA substrate preferences for structurally

This study examines the relationship between the real exchange rate and the trade flows of Sweden in the presence of so-called structural breaks. The purpose is rooted in the hypothesis that the real exchange rate has been disconnected from global trade flows in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008. Using both aggregated and bilateral trade data from Sweden’s six major trading partners from the period 2004 to 2018, significant breaks are detected in 10 out of 14 cases by the Bai and Perron (1998) approach, indicating that the effect of the exchange rate has changed. However, the breaks are widespread and the coefficient estimates show no clear pattern and hence unequivocal evidence for the hypothesis of a disconnect. Despite the ambiguous evidence, the cointegration tests suggests that there is a long-run relationship between the real exchange rate and trade flows of Sweden.

Attention during lectures often declines due to high cognitive demands, challenging student learning. The increasing popularity of online education, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, has added to the attention-sustaining difficulties students face during lectures. Online lecture breaks are a promising intervention to enhance attention and learning; however, there is limited research on how they should be designed. In the current study, I investigated the effects of break duration and frequency (Experiment 1) and break activity (Experiment 2) during an online lecture on student attention and learning. In both experiments, undergraduate students watched a 50-minute video-recorded online lecture and then completed an immediate comprehension quiz and a post-lecture survey that included questions about their lecture engagement and experiences. In Experiment 2, attention was measured through probes during the lecture, and a second comprehension quiz was administered one week later. Contrary to my predictions, findings from Experiment 1 revealed that taking three 2-minute open-ended lecture breaks led to significantly lower performance on the immediate quiz compared to taking one 6-minute open-ended lecture break or no breaks. Interestingly, participants in the combined break(s) conditions reported engaging in significantly more media multitasking behaviour and decreased levels of motivation during the lecture compared to the no breaks condition. Consistent with my predictions, Experiment 2 demonstrated that taking stretching breaks during an online lecture significantly improved immediate quiz performance compared to taking social media breaks or no breaks. These findings suggest that structuring online lectures with well-designed breaks can enhance learning outcomes, with stretching breaks showing particular promise. However, further research is needed to explore other factors that influence the quality and effectiveness of lecture breaks, as poorly designed breaks may inadvertently hinder learning. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Maintaining attention during online lectures can be particularly challenging for students, which ultimately impacts their learning. Lecture breaks are often recommended as a tool to help improve attention and learning, but there is limited guidance on how they should be designed and implemented. In this study, I examined the effectiveness of different types of breaks in an online university lecture among university students. Surprisingly, frequent short open-ended breaks led to lower quiz scores compared to one longer open-ended break or no breaks. Interestingly, students who took at least one break engaged in more media multitasking and had reduced motivation to learn during the lecture. However, stretching during these breaks resulted in better quiz performance compared to using social media or taking no breaks. Therefore, while breaks can be poorly designed and unintentionally hinder learning, they can also be strategically integrated into online lectures by incorporating stretches to promote learning.

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No / Within nursing, career breaks have an impact on women's career outcomes. However, the causal mechanisms that explain the transfer of women's relative reduced career outcomes remain unclear. This article examines the relationships between career breaks, part-time working, and access to training/updating skills in determining nurses' career outcomes. We consider this to be a mechanism of transferring disadvantage both within and between genders within nursing. This qualitative research involved in-depth interviews with 32 registered female nurses with and without children. They were employed in “acute” nursing and worked as registered Band 4 to “senior nurse managers” and were between 25 and 60 years old. They worked or had worked under a variety of employment conditions. Some, but not all, had taken career breaks or requested or attained postregistration training. We found that restricted access to training for part-time nurses and limited opportunity to update their skills following a return from a career break are determining factors affecting the career outcomes of nurses. The findings suggest that it is related to rationing of training for those returning from career breaks, based on the availability of a supply of newly qualified nurses meeting the numerical demand, financial constraints, operational imperatives, and organizational values.