This thesis consists of two separate parts. The first part consists of one paper and considers problems concerning spatial point processes and the second part includes three papers in the field of bioinformatics. The first part of the thesis is based on a forestry problem of estimating the number of trees in a region by using the information in an aerial photo, showing the area covered by the trees. The positions of the trees are assumed to follow either a binomial point process or a hard-core Strauss process. Furthermore, discs of equal size are used to represent the tree-crowns. We provide formulas for the expectation and the variance of the relative vacancy for both processes. The formulas are approximate for the hard-core Strauss process. Simulations indicate that the approximations are accurate.  The second part of this thesis focuses on pre-processing of microarray data. The microarray technology can be used to measure the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously in a single experiment. The technique is used to identify genes that are differentially expressed between two populations, e.g. diseased versus healthy individuals. This information can be used in several different ways, for example as diagnostic tools and in drug discovery. The microarray technique involves a number of complex experimental steps, where each step introduces variability in the data. Pre-processing aims to reduce this variation and is a crucial part of the data analysis. Paper II gives a review over several pre-processing methods. Spike-in data are used to describe how the different methods affect the sensitivity and bias of the experi­ment. An important step in pre-processing is dye-normalization. This normalization aims to re­move the systematic differences due to the use of different dyes for coloring the samples. In Paper III a novel dye-normalization, the MC-normalization, is proposed. The idea behind this normaliza­tion is to let the channels’ individual intensities determine the cor­rection, rather than the aver­age intensity which is the case for the commonly used MA-normali­zation. Spike-in data showed that  the MC-normalization reduced the bias for the differentially expressed genes compared to the MA-normalization. The standard method for preserving patient samples for diagnostic purposes is fixation in formalin followed by embedding in paraffin (FFPE). In Paper IV we used tongue-cancer micro­RNA-microarray data to study the effect of FFPE-storage. We suggest that the microRNAs are not equally affected by the storage time and propose a novel procedure to remove this bias. The procedure improves the ability of the analysis to detect differentially expressed microRNAs.

The purpose of this thesis is to improve our knowledge of substance users in the normal population. The main concern is with how the meaning of drug use is constructed. To answer this, the thesis draws on different theoretical principles and mixed methods design. The thesis is made up of four sub-studies, with interconnected foci. The first three papers are based on a qualitative research project in which 44 socially integrated drug users in Stockholm were interviewed. The fourth paper is a cross-national quantitative analysis of nationally representative student samples. The first of the three qualitative papers explores the construction of the informant’s self-identity. The second paper analyses the informant’s perceptions of drug-related risk, whilst the third paper analyses the drug users’ perception of differences between men’s and women’s drug use. The fourth paper sets the detailed analyses of the first three papers in a broader comparative frame, exploring differences in the correlates of drug use, in light of the different levels of drug use in Sweden and Switzerland. The thesis reveals that the drug users are striving to be understood as normal integrated citizens of Swedish society. They present themselves as inherently different from drug abusers and the informants’ risk perceptions are based on a modified form of core Swedish cultural ideals of conscientiousness. The informants also waver back and forth when called upon to discuss gender and drug-taking. On the one hand they were explicit about existing differences between men’s and women’s drug use; on the other hand they were quite uncomfortable having to explicitly explain them, as this meant that they needed to draw on conservative gender roles, something which in Swedish society is a strong sign of being politically incorrect. Furthermore, the thesis shows that young drug abstainers and cannabis users are quite similar in regards to conventional social bonds.

Den här studien undersöker kvinnor utsatta för våld i heterosexuella parförhållanden med syftet att undersöka vad som kan påverka att en del kvinnor under lång tid stannar i destruktiva och våldsamma relationer. Den teoretiska referensramen hämtas från ett strukturellt/kulturellt perspektiv i teorin om våldets normaliseringsprocess samt från ett socialpsykologiskt perspektiv genom teorin om det traumatiska bandet. För att uppnå studiens syfte har en kvalitativ metod använts i form av intervjuer. Fem kvinnor med tidigare erfarenhet av våld i nära relationer har intervjuats. Genom en tematisk analysmetod har intervjumaterialet sedan analyserats. Analysen är uppdelad i de tre temana relationernas början, våldets utveckling samt våldets bindande kraft. Slutsatserna av studien är att de våldsutsatta kvinnorna genomgått ett nedbrytningsförlopp som männen styr över där de successivt brutits ner och manipulerats. Slutsatserna visar även att de känslor som kvinnorna beskrivit har haft en bindande verkan till männen vilket bidragit till att de stannat kvar i de destruktiva relationerna under en längre period.

This thesis compares the variability of commissioning savings and the persistence of savings from the Normalized Annual Consumption (NAC) and standard International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) weather normalization approaches and from Option C and Option D of the IPMVP. Twenty-nine different weather years were used to obtain a set of savings results under each method. Variability of savings was quantified by the average standard deviation of the 29 percent savings results across all post-commissioning periods for each method. For the combined chilled and hot water savings, the average standard deviation is 0.39% savings for Option D using the NAC weather normalization approach, 0.57% savings for Option D using the standard IPMVP weather normalization approach, 0.71% savings for Option C with regression models using the NAC weather normalization approach, and 0.98% savings for Option C with regression models using the standard IPMVP weather normalization approach. The variability of savings persistence results deviate a little from variability of savings results. For the combined chilled and hot water persistence of savings, the average standard deviation across all post-commissioning periods is 0.48% persistence for Option D using the NAC weather normalization approach, 0.55% persistence for Option D using the standard IPMVP weather normalization approach, 0.52% persistence for Option C with regression models using the NAC weather normalization approach, and 1.26% persistence for Option C with regression models using the standard IPMVP weather normalization approach. Overall, the NAC weather normalization approach shows less variability in savings and persistence than the standard IPMVP weather normalization approach. Additionally, Option D of the IPMVP generally shows less variability in savings and persistence of savings than Option C with regression models. This thesis also determines the savings and persistence of savings from commissioning for three Texas A&M University buildings. Aggregate site savings averaged 11.4%, 16.5%, and 19.0% for the three buildings over differing periods of available data. Persistence results for the three buildings are quite favorable, as each building shows an increase in aggregate site savings between the first and last post-commissioning periods. Follow-up commissioning restored and prevented degradation of savings in two of the buildings.

Today, especially after various critical evaluations of mainstream theories of International Relations (IR), it is common place to observe that IR discipline is Eurocentric. Natural outcome of this Eurocentric character of IR discipline has been the privileging of modern identity (and thus, modernity) and the marginalization of different cultures and identities as &quot / others&quot / . This thesis analyzes the relationship between the concepts of modern identity, national interest and difference within the framework of IR theory. The thesis asserts that IR discipline should solve the problem of exclusion of the &quot / other&quot / or suppression of differences since International Relations means first and foremost interaction with the &quot / Other&quot / . In order to solve this contradiction, I argue that IR theory should be deconstructed on the basis of a treatment of differences and heterogeneity. However, criticizing the creation of the &quot / others&quot / necessitates also the critique of modern identity since &quot / heterophobia&quot / is the result of the homogenizing character of European identity. Therefore, a deconstruction of the hegemony of modern identity in IR is the main concern of this thesis. The thesis finally argues that &ldquo / other worlds&rdquo / which leave room for different identities and other &quot / truths&quot / are also possible.

Ocean ambient noise is one of the important parameters which affect sonar system performance. If the ocean ambient noise is estimated accurately, the prediction accuracy of sonar system performance can be promoted significantly. Ocean ambient noise includes various and diverse sources, so the characteristics of the ocean ambient noise should be analyzed by long-term observations and statistical methods. Therefore, ocean ambient noise database was developed to facilitate management, preservation, and application of these datasets which increase with time. There were two datasets of acoustic and three datasets of wind speed in this database at this point. To develop this database systematically, this study applied Entity-Relationship Model to describe the relationship between different data and Relational Model to design the required categories. The database was constructed based on Microsoft Office Access, and user-friendly graphical interfaces based on MATLAB were provided for users: wind speed regression, time series, spectrogram, and spectrum tendency for users to query the database. As the results of analysis, the intermittent, unknown, and high-level sources at southwestern sea of Taiwan in spring and summer made the noise level of low frequency about 8 to 10 dB higher in the night-time than that in the day-time. According to wind speed regression analysis, if there were sufficient data, the method would be practicable to pick a wind speed data nearby the location of acoustic data for noise estimation. As the results of the typhoon effects analysis, the noise level of 1 to 8 kHz was increased significantly by typhoons. Besides, the noise level didn¡¦t decrease immediately and significantly after the pass of typhoon because of southwestern air current caused typhoon. After the database was developed, new acoustic data will keep being measured and collected, and the network capability will be integrated into the database to make the database more accessible to users.

<p>In this thesis the effect of normalization methods on the identification of differentially expressed genes is investigated. A zebrafish microarray dataset called Swirl was used in this thesis work. First the Swirl dataset was extracted and visualized to view if the robust spline and print tip loess normalization methods are appropriate to normalize this dataset. The dataset was then normalized with the two normalization methods and the differentially expressed genes were identified with the LimmaGUI program. The results were then evaluated by investigating which genes overlap after applying different normalization methods and which ones are identified uniquely after applying the different methods. The results showed that after the normalization methods were applied the differentially expressed genes that were identified by the LimmaGUI program did differ to some extent but the difference was not considered to be major. Thus the main conclusion is that the choice of normalization method does not have a major effect on the resulting list of differentially expressed genes.</p>

Richard Nixon’s trip to China in February 1972 marked a diplomatic breakthrough for Sino-American relations after two decades of mutual animosity since the Korean War. Nevertheless, the bilateral relations underwent a long stalemate in the mid-1970s, before the United States and China finally reached normalization of relations in December 1978. The scholarship on Sino-American relations in the 1970s tends to focus on Nixon’s visit or normalization of relations, without paying adequate attention to how Washington and Beijing dealt with the mid-decade deadlock. My report addresses this gap in the literature by analyzing the changing dynamism of Sino-American relations, determined first by Henry Kissinger and Mao Zedong, and later by Zbigniew Brzezinski and Deng Xiaoping. Kissinger sought to establish a triangular relationship with the Soviet Union and China, where the United States could manipulate the Sino-Soviet antagonism to improve its relations with both communist giants. With the failure of his initial idea of creating an anti-Soviet united front with Washington, Mao, through his Three World theory, championed the Third World struggle against both superpowers in competition for global hegemony in the disguise of détente. With Kissinger clinging to superpower détente and Mao determined to maintain a revolutionary China, their strategies were doomed to a stalemate. Unlike Kissinger, Brzezinski tried to create a bilateral structure, where the United States cooperated with China to confront the Soviet Union, which expanded its influence globally despite ongoing détente. Unlike Mao, Deng sought to replace revolution with development as China’s national agenda, by emphasizing modernization, instead of the Three World theory, in Chinese foreign policy. Their global strategies necessitated mutual cooperation, creating momentum for normalization negotiations, especially after Brzezinski’s trip to China in May 1978. The shifting dynamism in Sino-American relations from the Kissinger-Mao years to Brzezinski-Deng years, therefore, precipitated normalization of relations in the late 1970s. / text

The aim of this essay is to problematize the role of living support in a group home and to examine staff reflections about the users' opportunities for and possibly limits to self determination and, in addition to this, how they work towards supporting this right. The study is conducted through seven semi-structured qualitative interviews. The theoretical points of departure are theories of empowerment and paternalism. We have analysed the study results from the vantage point of these theories. The results are consistent with earlier research showing lack of guidance for supporters and also a lack of common approach towards users.

Šiame darbe atliekami stochastinių minimumų asimptotiniai tyrimai. Įrodomos minimumų ribinės teoremos tuo atveju, kai tiesinis normalizavimas neduoda neišsigimusių ribinių skirstinių, tokiu atveju taikau netiesinį minimumų normalizavimą. Konkretaus skirstinio atveju randamos netiesinės normalizavimo funkcijos, kurių pagalba yra gaunami minimumų klasikiniai ribiniai skirstiniai. Įrodoma Perkėlimo teorema netiesiniam normalizavimui. Darbo tikslai: • ištirti netiesinio normalizavimo reikalingumą; • išanalizuoti netiesinio normalizavimo galimybes minimumų schemoje. Darbo uždaviniai: • parinkti netiesinio normalizavimo funkciją konkretaus skirstinio atveju; • gauti ribinius klasikinius skirstinius, kai minimumai normalizuojami netiesiškai; • įvertinti konvergavimo greitį ribinėse teoremose; • atlikti aproksimavimo paklaidų kompiuterinę analizę. / This paper is the asymptotic analysis of stochastic minima. Proofs of minima limit theorems are provided for cases, when linear normalization does not give non-degenerate limit distributions. In this cases, non-linear minima normalization is used. For a specific distribution, non-linear normalization functions are calculated, which are then used to get classic limit distributions for minima. Objectives: • Examine the necessity of non-linear normalization; • Analyze the possibilities for non-linear normalization in minimum pattern. Tasks: • Choose non-linear normalization function for a specific distribution; • Get classic limit distributions, where minima are normalized non-linearly; • Investigate the rate of convergence within the limit theorems; • Perform computer-based analysis of approximation errors.