An understanding of plant pathogen-host interactions is essential to design efficient strategies to control disease in crops. Magnaporthe oryzae, an ascomyceteous fungus and causal agent of rice blast disease, is a model organism to study host-microbe interactions. The overall aim of this dissertation project was to identify genes involved in pathogenicity through the construction and characterization of a random insertional mutagenesis library. In order to saturate the genome with DNA inserts, a collection of >54,000 insertion lines of the M. oryzae strain 70-15 was generated via two transformation methods, PEG/CaCl2 (polyethylene glycol)-mediated protoplast transformation and Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The first part of this dissertation describes the optimization of both transformation approaches, compares their efficiency and provides a description of the high-throughput processing and phenotypic analysis of the insertion lines. An in vitro appressorium assay of 12,000 T-DNA insertion strains allowed the identification of 135 lines that were classified as morphologically or functionally different than wild-type. Rice infection assays demonstrated that 112 of these strains exhibited defects in pathogenicity.The second part of this dissertation project analyzed the T-DNA integration patterns in a subset of pathogenicity mutants. This section aimed to identify the disrupted genes via recovery of M. oryzae sequences adjacent to the sites of T-DNA insertion. Genomic mapping of 61 T-DNA insertions in pathogenicity mutants via rescuing M. oryzae chromosomal T-DNA flanking sequences using inverse PCR resulted in the identification of 22 conserved hypothetical genes with predicted function, 11 predicted open reading frames without a GenBank significant match, two unannotated regions of the genome assembly and seven intergenic regions. The final part of this dissertation describes the characterization of a M. oryzae pathogenicity mutant that contains a T-DNA insertion in the upstream region of two divergently transcribed genes that encode the vacuolar type-ATPase subunit c`` and the general transcription factor TFIIA subunit γ. Genetic complementation demonstrated the insertion of the T-DNA in the promoter region of the general transcription factor TFIIA subunit γ is responsible for observed defects in conidiation, appressorium morphogenesis, and appressorium function. This is the first report relating the function of TFIIA subunit γ to pathogenicity.

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka sambandet mellan personlighetsdimensionerna enligt Five Factor-modellen och attityder till andlighet och livsåskådningar enligt New Age. Även eventuella skillnader mellan könen och åldersgrupper i relation till New Age studeras. Studien utfördes som en kvantitativ undersökning i form av en enkät, bestående av en svensk översättning av Big Five Inventory (BFI) för att mäta personlighet och New Age Orientation Scale (NAOS) för att mäta attityder till andlighet och de livsåskådningar som karaktäriserar New Age. Resultatet visade ett signifikant positivt samband mellan personlighetsfaktorn Öppenhet och människor som tilltalas av andlighet och livsåskådningar enligt New Age. Inga relationer till de andra personlighetsfaktorerna inom Five Factor-modellen och New Age konstaterades. Resultatet visade även signifikanta skillnader mellan könen där kvinnor var mer positiva till New Age än män. Inga signifikanta åldersskillnader framkom.

A protocol was developed to measure ammonia emission concentrations from dairies using an isolation flux chamber. A hybrid dairy in Comanche county, Texas, was measured for one week each during August 2002 and January 2003. Sixty total ammonia samples were taken from the free stall barn, open lot, mixing tank, separated solids, compost, and two lagoons using the developed protocol. The ammonia concentration measurements were made using a chemiluminescence analyzer located inside a mobile laboratory. From the emission concentrations recorded, it was estimated that 9.68 metric tons of ammonia were produced from this dairy per year. An emission factor of 13.34 ± 28.80 kilograms per day per thousand head of cattle (kg/day/1000 head) was estimated for this dairy (±95% confidence intervals) during summer conditions. For winter conditions the emission factor was 12.05 ± 12.89 kg/day/1000 head. The 11% difference of the emission factors from summer to winter conditions was predominantly from the change in ambient and control volume temperatures (a mean difference of approximately 25 degrees Celsius), differences in source temperatures, and seasonal variability in husbandry. The adsorption of ammonia onto different polymer tubing used in pollutant stream conveyance was researched for possible systematic losses. Teflon and low density polyethylene (LDPE) were tested for ammonia losses with treatments of: temperature, length, and inlet concentration. Inlet concentration and temperature were significant factors used to describe ammonia adsorption for Teflon, whereas LDPE was also affected by tubing length. These factors were used to create a model to correct the summer dairy measurements for ammonia losses, resulting in an emission factor increase of 8.3% over the original value obtained from the flux chamber. A nitrogen mass balance was performed to estimate the amount of nitrogen available for ammonia formation as excreted - 177.5 kilograms per year per animal (wet basis). The amount of ammonia excreted per year was also estimated to be 26.63 kilograms per year. The measured ammonia emitted from the dairy was five times less than the ammonia excreted and thirty-six times less than the total nitrogen excreted.

My purpose for this essay is to examine what factors are considered to have high influence on motivation to study and what measures can be taken to enhance student’s motivation to study from a student perspective.   The main source of theory for this study has been the classification of motivational factors that has been based on Herzberg’s twofactortheory with complementary theoretical sources.   The study is based around two research methods, one survey together with complementary student interviews. The empirical material consists of 118 completed surveys together with nine student interviews.   The study’s results have found that students find the main source of rising motivational level originates from the professional role of the teacher. Additionally the students find the main source of subsiding motivational level originate from rising level of stress and uninspiring teachers. Furthermore the study has found possible improving measures in lacking personnel, an working environment focused on studies and an education oriented on future career preferences.

The first major work to analyze the dimensions of segregation, done in the late 1980s by Massey and Denton, found five dimensions which explained the phenomenon of segregation. Since the original work was done in 1988 it seems relevant to revisit the issue with new data. Massey and Denton used the technique of factor analysis to identify the latent structure underlying the phenomenon. In this research their methodology is applied to a more complete data set from the 1980 Census to confirm their results and extend the methodology. Due to problems identified during the analysis confirmation was not possible. However, a simpler structure was identified which is comprised of only two factors. This structure is replicated when the methodology is applied to the 1990 and 2000 Census data thereby proving the robustness of the methodology.

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China has long been sceptical on mitigating sentences based on the offender’s good character, while good character mitigation is widely accepted in Canada. This study was to examine the justification of good character mitigation in Canada so that China can better face the future choice in sentencing: whether to consider good character a mitigating factor. Through examining the use of good character in Canadian sentencing practice, the justification of good character mitigation in Canada has been questioned. A three-part argument has been put forward to support the removal of good character as a mitigating factor in Canada: first, the workability of the very concept of “good character” is low; second, theoretical basis for mitigating sentences on good character is problematic; third, the present practice contributes to a form of status-based discrimination. This study shows that the justification of good character mitigation is not as strong as we have expected it to be. Even in Canada, a country which has good character mitigation with a long history, the consideration of good character as a mitigating factor needs further discussion. The adoption of good character mitigation in China should be more cautious. / Thesis (Master, Law) -- Queen's University, 2007-12-17 16:48:45.471

A practical engineering design problem is used to examine the over-conservativeness of designs obtained using deterministic optimization with worst-case parameter assumptions and a safety factor. Additionally, an attempted application of reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) demonstrates the limits of RBDO for practical problems. The design problem considered here is TESCO's Internal Casing Drive System (ICDS), which is used in feeding pipeline, or casing, into predrilled holes. After developing a finite element model of the ICDS, experimental data is used to successfully validate modeling methods and assumptions. The validated model is then subjected to multiple analyses to determine an appropriate design configuration to be used as the starting point for optimization. Worst-case, safety factor-based design optimization (SFBDO) is then applied considering two and three design variables, and is successful in increasing the critical load of the ICDS, Pcrit, by 35% and 45%, respectively. An efficient and recognized RBDO method, Sequential Optimization and Reliability Assessment, is selected for application to the design problem to determine an optimum design based on reliability. Due to the optimization formulation, however, SORA cannot be applied. The ICDS design problem represents a practical example that demonstrates the difficulties and limits in applying RBDO to practical engineering design problems. To evaluate the over-conservativeness of worst-case SFBDO, structural reliability analysis is performed on the deterministic optimum designs. It is found that the value of Pcrit for both the two and three variable optimum designs can be increased by 53% while maintaining acceptable probability of failure, demonstrating the over-conservativeness of the worst-case SFBDO. / Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-05 10:51:26.273

The prothrombinase (IIase) complex is an essential component of the coagulation cascade and is composed of a serine protease, Factor Xa (FXa), its non-enzymatic cofactor, Factor Va (FVa), calcium and a phospholipid membrane surface. It activates prothrombin (FII) to thrombin, the principal stimulator of clot formation in vivo. FII activation by IIase is mediated by specific interactions between FII and FVa. Preliminary NMR and peptidyl mimicry studies identified six residues within the FII Fragment 2 (F2) domain (S160, Q177, R181, L182, V184 and T185) that likely mediate an interaction between it and the heavy chain of FVa. Therefore, six recombinant FII derivatives were prepared whereby each of the aforementioned residues was mutated to alanine. FII activation kinetics by FXa in the presence or absence of FVa was measured by DAPA-thrombin complex formation. The results show that FII-S160A, -R181A, -L182A, -V184A and -T185A had no significant effect on the catalytic efficiency of the reaction in the presence of FVa. In the absence of FVa, the catalytic efficiency of FII-R181A, -L182A, -V184A, and -T185A derivatives decreased by 17-27% compared with wildtype, while FII-S160A had no effect. FII-Q177A, however, showed a significant increase of 17% in catalytic efficiency in the presence of FVa but no change in its absence. Two double (FII-Q177A/R181A and FII-R181A/T185A) and one triple (FII-Q177A/R181A/T185) mutants were generated to determine if multiple mutations would have an additive effect. These derivatives were indistinguishable from wildtype in the presence of FVa. In the absence of FVa, however, their catalytic efficiency values decreased 12-25% compared with wildtype. Further comparison of these values showed that FII-R181A and -Q177A/R181A both decreased by 25%, while FII-R181A/T185A and -Q177A/R181A/T185A decreased by 12% and 24% with respect to the wildtype, respectively. Both comparisons, where the only difference was an additional mutation at Q177, suggest that Q177 does not affect the activation kinetics of FII in the absence of FVa. Taken together, our data suggest that Q177 in the F2 domain of FII is likely involved in interacting with IIase through a FVa-dependent mechanism while residues R181, L182, V184 and T185 may be involved through a FVa-independent mechanism. / Thesis (Master, Biochemistry) -- Queen's University, 2012-07-31 11:38:32.262

No description available.