Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Annette Van; submitted to the Dept. of English. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Aug. 25, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-54).

O coito interrompido à um mÃtodo de anticoncepÃÃo usado desde a antiguidade, por homens de todas as idades, credos e raÃas, perpetuando-se aos dias atuais. Apesar disto, dÃvida quanto à presenÃa de espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio, em quantidade e qualidade viÃveis à fecundaÃÃo, permanece como lacuna do conhecimento. Neste contexto, estabeleceu-se a tese: ausÃncia de espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio de homens com espermograma normal contribui para eficÃcia do coito interrompido. Para sua defesa, realizou-se pesquisa transversal, laboratorial, com objetivo de analisar o mÃtodo anticoncepcional coito interrompido nas perspectivas de prevalÃncia do uso, percepÃÃes masculinas e prova laboratorial do lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio. Foi realizado no Hospital Geral de Fortaleza (Hospital do ExÃrcito), CearÃ, Brasil, com 43 homens, quantitativo mÃximo atingido no perÃodo delimitado para coleta de dados, junho a novembro de 2012. Os critÃrios de inclusÃo foram: idade mÃnima de 18 anos e laudo do espermograma normal. Realizou-se entrevista seguindo formulÃrio prÃ-estabelecido. ApÃs responderem à entrevista, os participantes eram exaustivamente orientados e preparados pela autora para coleta do lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio e do sÃmen. Os dados foram processados pelo Statistical Package for the Social Sciences versÃo 18.0 e analisados por meio de estatÃstica descritiva e para comparaÃÃo de mÃdias foram utilizados os testes t de Student e de Mann-Whitney. As proporÃÃes entre a presenÃa ou nÃo de espermatozoides foram comparadas por meio do teste z para proporÃÃes. Para todas as anÃlises, fixou-se como estatisticamente significante p<0,05. Falas de participantes foram tomadas para ilustrar pontos relevantes da discussÃo. A idade dos homens foi em mÃdia de 33,2Â8,6; mÃdia de anos de estudo foi de 10,6Â1,74 anos; 39 (90,7%) relataram companheira fixa; a renda mensal teve mÃdia de R$ 1789,50Â1300,00; 31(72,1%) homens nÃo tinham filhos; 37 (86,0%) nÃo utilizavam mÃtodos anticoncepcionais e 2 (4,7%) homens afirmaram uso do CI como mÃtodo; 29 (67,4%) haviam praticado CI alguma vez; interromper o coito para ejacular fora da vagina foi o principal obstÃculo apresentado pelos homens; predominou a crenÃa da baixa eficÃcia do CI. Dos 43 (100%) participantes, 37 (86,0%) conseguiram coletar o sÃmen e destes, todos tiveram o laudo do espermograma normal; 33 (89,1%) conseguiram coletar o lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio e destes, apenas dois (6,0%) apresentaram raros espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio, sendo o tempo mÃdio entre a Ãltima ejaculaÃÃo e a coleta de espÃcimes de 4,24Â3,07 dias. Aplicando-se o teste z de proporÃÃo e comparando a proporÃÃo dos que nÃo apresentaram espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio (0,94) com os que apresentaram (0,06), pode-se afirmar que a presenÃa de espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio, na amostra estudada, foi devido ao acaso (p<0,0001). Homens com espermograma normal nÃo apresentam espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio. Mediante o exposto, confirma-se a tese de que a ausÃncia de espermatozoides no lÃquido prÃ-ejaculatÃrio de homens com espermograma normal contribui para eficÃcia do coito interrompido.

Arterial performance measurement is an essential tool for both researchers and practitioners, guiding decisions on traffic management, future improvements, and public information. Link travel time and intersection control delay are two primary performance measures that are used to evaluate arterial level of service. Despite recent technological advancements, collecting travel time and intersection delay data can be a time-consuming and complicated process. Limited budgets, numerous available technologies, a rapidly changing field, and other challenges make performance measurement and comparison of data sources difficult. Three common data collection sources (probe vehicles, Bluetooth media access control readers, and manual queue length counts) are often used for performance measurement and validation of new data methods. Comparing these and other data sources is important as agencies and researchers collect arterial performance data. This study provides a methodology for comparing data sources, using statistical tests and linear correlation to compare methods and identify strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, this study examines data normality as an issue that is seldom considered, yet can affect the performance of statistical tests. These comparisons can provide insight into the selection of a particular data source for use in the field or for research. Data collected along Grant Road in Tucson, Arizona, was used as a case study to evaluate the methodology and the data sources. For evaluating travel time, GPS probe vehicle and Bluetooth sources produced similar results. Bluetooth can provide a greater volume of data more easily in addition to samples large enough for more rigorous statistical evaluation, but probe vehicles are more versatile and provide higher resolution data. For evaluating intersection delay, probe vehicle and queue count methods did not always produce similar results.

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol) / The geometric tortoise is one of the world‟s rarest terrestrial tortoises and is endemic to the Southwestern Cape, South Africa. There has been cause for conservation concern for Psammobates geometricus, yet as is common for many species, quantitative physiological research has been lacking. Considering the important role of red blood cells in oxygen circulation, and the role of white blood cells in immune resistance, blood profiles have been used across taxa as a reliable indicator of health status and physiological processes. Forming part of a larger chelonian conservation programme in South Africa, I studied the haematological changes in P. geometricus, to better understand their physiological responses to changes in climatic conditions. Sampled peripheral blood from males, females and juveniles of the largest known wild geometric tortoise population over four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) from August 2000 to June 2001. Blood samples were used to make smears and determine red cell count (RCC), packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobi concentration (Hb), red cell indices and differential white cell counts. Digital imaging analysis was used for the histological evaluation of stained blood smears, including descriptions of red and white blood cell morphologies, as well as erythrocyte developmental stages. In the cooler periods, geometric tortoises showed low Hb and mean cell haemoglobin concentration values. Erythrocytes were larger and rounder in winter and spring, which were likely due to hydration states. In addition, increased numbers of immature erythrocytes in circulation suggested an erythropoietic response in winter and spring. This regenerative response is common in reptiles emerging from periods of limited activity and is associated with increasing primary production following rainfall events. In the following summer and autumn, increased mean cell haemoglobin concentrations suggested elevated metabolic rates influenced by rising temperatures. This would seem pertinent to meet the extra physical demands associated with foraging effort in the season characterised with limited water and food supply, and mating behaviour, which occurs in the summer. Low body conditions across all cohorts provided evidence for nutrition stress, while erythrocyte size, shape and degenerative responses indicated dehydration stress. Physiological responses to seasonal influences are specific to growth or reproductive demands and differed for each cohort. Males experienced increased Hb, PCV, RCC, and erythrocyte sizes in summer and autumn, which relate to the erythropoieticstimulating effects of androgens. Female erythropoietic cycles in spring accommodate the increased metabolic demands of increased foraging needed for a larger body size and egg production, and again in autumn again for vitellogenesis. Juvenile tortoises showed minimal differences, and could indicate species-specific responses to environmental changes. A spring-related erythropoiesis was observed in juveniles while during summer and autumn, juveniles showed less evidence for dehydration stress than in adults. No haemoparasites were observed in peripheral blood. Seven leukocyte types were identified and included heterophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, monocytes and azurophils, in addition to thrombocytes. Heterophils were the most abundant leukocyte, followed by lymphocytes and eosinophils while monocytes and basophils were equally low; plasma cells and azurophils were rare. Heterophil counts were higher in spring than in summer and autumn, and in summer, were more abundant in females than in juveniles. Eosinophil counts were low in spring for all cohorts, and additionally, female and juvenile counts were low in summer. Eosinophils in juveniles were significantly lower than in adults in winter and spring. Lymphocyte numbers increased in autumn for all cohorts, while summer counts were higher in juveniles than in adults. Basophils and monocytes showed minimal seasonal changes, although basophil counts in females in winter tended to be high. Thrombocytes were lowest in spring for all cohorts. Understanding the physiological responses associated with seasonal changes and for each cohort is critical for effective chelonian conservation management. Results obtained from this study indicate a clinically healthy population of Psammobates geometricus and represented the first of this kind to establish baseline haematological reference data for this Critically Endangered tortoise species.

Heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs) are commonly used to assess the general microbiological quality of drinking water. Drinking water quality specifications world-wide recommend HPC limits from 100 to 500 cfu.m1-1. However, a number of recent studies revealed evidence that commonly used indicator bacteria may not be as harmless as generally accepted. It appears that immuno-compromised individuals, which represent increasing components of many consumer populations, are particularly at risk. This would include the very young and very old, patients with diseases such as AIDS, and patients on therapy after organ transplantations and cancer treatment. Since, epidemiological and animal infectivity studies are complex and difficult to control, attempts have been made by researchers to examine HPCs directly in order to assess health risks. These analyses included: cytotoxicity, invasiveness, enzyme analyses, antibiotic susceptibility and identification. In this study, 339 bacterial colonies were isolated at random from selected drinking water supplies in South Africa using heterotrophic plate count tests. In a first step to screen for potentially pathogenic properties, 188 (55.5%) of the isolates showed α- and β-haemolysis on human- and horse-blood agar media. Subsequent analysis of the haemolytic isolates for enzymatic properties associated with pathogenicity revealed the presence of chondroitinase in 5.3% of the isolates, coagulase in 16.0%, DNase in 60.6%, elastase in 33 .0%, fibrinolysin in 53.7%, gelatinase in 62.2%, hyaluronidase in 21. 3 %, lecithinase in 47.9%, lipase in 54.8%, and proteinase in 64.4%. Fluorescein and pyocyanin were not produced by any of the isolates. The Kirby-Bauer quality controlled disc diffusion method was applied in the demonstration of antibiotic resistance by the HPC isolates. Among the haemolytic isolates 77.7% were resistant to oxacillin (1 µg), 59.6% to penicillin G (2 units), 47.3% to penicillin G (10 units), 54.3% to ampicillin (10 µg) and 43.1% to ampicillin (25 µg). Cell culture studies revealed that 96% of haemolytic isolates were cytotoxic to HEp-2 cells and 98.9% of the 181 cytotoxic isolates adhered to HEp-2 or Caco-2 cells. Gram-negative isolates tended to adhere in larger numbers than gram-positive isolates. The average index of adherence for Gram-negative bacteria was 20-30 bacteria per HEp-2 cell, compared to 3-7 for Gram-positive bacteria. HEp-2 cells were invaded by 43.6% and Caco-2 cells by 49.7% of the 181 cytotoxic isolates. The invasion index on HEp-2 cells was 1.9xlO-1 to 8.9xl0-6, compared to 7.7xl0-2 to 8.3xlO-6 on Caco-2 cells. The most commonly isolated genera showing potentially pathogenic features were: Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Aureobacterium, Bacillus, Chryseobacterium, Corynebacterium, Klebsiella, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Tsukamurella and Vibrio. All these genera are known to contain opportunistic pathogens. Our results support earlier findings on potentially pathogenic features of bacteria detected by heterotrophic plate counts on drinking water. These findings seem to be in agreement with some epidemiological studies, which indicated an association between HPCs of drinking water and the incidence of gastroenteritis in consumers. However, the extent of the health risk concerned needs to be defined in detail for meaningful revision of quality guidelines for HPCs in drinking water. / Dissertation (MSc (Medical Virology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Medical Virology / unrestricted

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to determine if X-irradiation can be considered a direct stress agent, and if so, to what extent it differs from other stressors; and (2) to further elucidate the role of the adrenal cortex in the radiation syndrome by determining the more immediate responses of this system to X-irradiation.

Magister Public Health - MPH / With the improvements in the effectiveness and availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), perinatally infected children are surviving to adolescence and emerging as a significant sub-population living with HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. Adolescents, aged 10-19 years, face unique challenges related to adherence to chronic medication due to this period of vulnerability that is characterised by decreased parental support and supervision, decreased inhibition, increased risk-taking, and immature judgement. It is widely reported that poor adherence to ART leads to viral rebound, disease progression and drug resistance, in addition to increasing the risk of transmitting resistant strains of HIV to others. It is imperative to determine the factors that influence ART adherence among HIV positive adolescents so that effective interventions can be put in place. The current study described the factors that are associated with adherence to ART among HIV positive adolescents in Zimbabwe.

Chronic fatigue affects athletes' abilities to maintain force and power capabilities over the course of a season. The ability for sport scientists and coaches to monitor and manage fatigue is beneficial for all sports, especially those with lengthy seasons. Although methods of monitoring and managing fatigue have been suggested for various sports, there is currently limited research examining methods of monitoring fatigue in baseball over the course of a season. To effectively maintain peak performance, potential methods for monitoring and managing fatigue in baseball players need to be discussed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In this dissertation, I develop a regression-based approach to the specification and estimation of the effect of a presumed causal variable on a count-valued outcome of interest. Statistics for relevant causal inference are also derived. As an illustration and as a basis for comparing alternative parametric specifications with respect to ease of implementation, computational efficiency and statistical performance, the proposed models and estimation methods are used to analyze household fertility decisions. I estimate the effect of a counterfactually imposed additional year of wife’s education on actual family size (AFS) and desired family size (DFS) [count-valued variables]. In order to ensure the causal interpretability of the effect parameter as I define it, the underlying regression model is cast in a potential outcomes (PO) framework. The specification of the relevant data generating process (DGP) is also derived. The regression-based approach developed in the dissertation, in addition to taking explicit account of the fact that the outcome of interest is count-valued, is designed to account for potential sample selection bias due to a particular data deficiency in the count data context and to accommodate the possibility that some structural aspects of the model may vary with the value of a binary switching variable. Moreover, my approach loosens the equi-dispersion constraint [conditional mean (CM) equals conditional variance (CV)] that plagues conventional (poisson) count-outcome regression models. This is a particularly important feature of my model and method because in most contexts in empirical economics the data are either over-dispersed (CM < CV) or under-dispersed (CM > CV) – fertility models are usually characterized by the latter. Alternative count data models were discussed and compared using simulated and real data. The simulation results and estimation results using real data suggest that the estimated effects from my proposed models (models that loosen the equi-dispersion constraint, account for the sample selection, and accommodate variability in structural aspect of the models due to a switching variable) substantively differ from estimates from a conventional linear and count regression specifications.