Recent research suggests that sedentary behaviours have detrimental effects on the health and well-being of children, including effects on obesity. Specifically, television viewing is consistently associated with childhood obesity. Two explanations have been proposed: 1) reduced energy expenditure, and 2) increased food intake. However, it has been suggested that the association between television viewing and childhood obesity may be better explained by an increase in energy intake than by a reduction in energy expenditure. To date, children of different weight status have not been compared in their dietary patterns in front of the television, and it is not known if total sedentary time is linked with food intake in children. The objectives of this thesis are: 1) to determine if obese children consume food more frequently while watching television than normal weight children, and 2) to examine which of television viewing or total sedentary time better predicts dietary patterns in children. Overall, our results re-affirm the notion that television viewing is associated with obesity, although physical activity plays a role in this association. Also, children who are obese consume fast food and fruits/vegetables more frequently during television watching than normal weight children. Furthermore, television viewing appears to be a better predictor of dietary patterns in children than overall sedentary time. Globally, these results provide evidence for the deleterious effects of television viewing on children’s dietary patterns and justification for future intervention studies designed to reduce television viewing in children with obesity.

A megawatt class electron linear accelerator (e-linac) will be constructed at TRIUMF as part of the new ARIEL facility which will produce rare ion beams for the study of nuclear structure and astrophysics, and material science. The 50MeV, 10mA, continuous wave e-linac will drive gamma ray induced fissioning of a Uranium target for the production of neutron rich beam species. View Screens located at a number of places along the e-linac beam-line will acquire two dimensional images of the transverse electron beam profiles, providing measurements of the size, position, and shape of the incident e-linac beam. The design of the View Screens will be presented, based on design studies and simulations performed to evaluate the performance of the View Screens under various operating conditions. These studies include GEANT simulations of the energy loss and scattering of the electron beam as it passes through the scintillation and Optical Transition Radiation beam targets, the subsequent thermal response of the targets, and a ray tracing optics simulation to optimize the configuration of the imaging optics. Bench test have been performed on the resulting optics design to evaluate the imaging characteristics, verifying fulfillment of the design requirements. Construction of a prototype View Screen device is currently underway, with beam tests scheduled for Fall 2011. A total of 14 View Screens will be constructed and installed along the e-linac beam-line. / Graduate

A number of widely used industrial chemicals have been shown to possess endocrine-disrupting properties. In this thesis, a series of in vitro tests, and an in vivo reproductive performance test with fathead minnows, were used to clarify the extent of estrogenic activity exhibited by the phthalate esters - a class of compound hitherto referred to as 'estrogenic'. Using a recombinant yeast estrogen screen, I demonstrated that a small number of commercially available phthalates showed extremely weak estrogenic activity. The most potently estrogenic phthalate of those tested was BBP, which was approximately one million-fold less potent than 17B-estradiol. The phthalates which were estrogenic in the yeast screen were also mitogenic on estrogen-responsive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and ZR-75 cell lines). The most prolifically used phthalate, DEHP, was not estrogenic in any of these assays. The small number of metabolites of phthalate metabolites tested (including MBuP, MBzP, MEHP and MnOP) were also not estrogenic in the recombinant yeast assay. The ability of BBP (as the most potently estrogenic phthalate in vitro) to induce a vitellogenic response (an indicator of estrogen exposure) in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed via the water was assessed. No induction of vitellogenin was observed, indicating that 100 Jlg BBP/L (a concentration higher than would normally be found in the environment) is not estrogenic to this species of fish under the conditions employed for this experiment. In the same study, fecundity of breeding pairs of fathead minnows was assessed; exposure to BBP was not found to affect reproductive performance in these fish. A possible alternative mechanism of action of the way in which the phthalates induce frequently reported reproductive disorders was observed. Some of the phthalates, and, notably, some of their metabolites, were demonstrated to act as anti-androgens in a recombinant yeast androgen assay. 4-Nonylphenol is another industrial chemical which is used in large volumes, and due to the nature of its use (mainly in detergent formulations), is discharged into water systems via sewage effluents. This chemical has been shown to be estrogenic to fish at the concentrations at which it has been detected in the environment. 4-Nonylphenol was tested for its ability to affect plasma and pituitary gonadotropin levels in female recrudescing rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Plasma and pituitary levels of FSH were suppressed in fish exposed to 10 and 100 Jlg 4-NP/L. In addition, FSH gene expression was reduced in these fish, and also in the fish exposed to 1 Jlg 4-NP/L. Pituitary LH content and gene expression of this hormone were suppressed in the fish exposed to 100-, and 10- and 100 Jlg 4-NP/L respectively. Gonadal development in vertebrates is regulated by FSH. Ovarian development ceased in the fish exposed to 100 JAg 4-NP/L, possibly as a result of the suppression of FSH synthesis and/or release in these fish.

Darbo tikslas: įvertinti hologramos poveikį sveikų, jauno amžiaus asmenų širdies ir kraujagyslių sistemos funkciniams rodikliams, funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipui, dinaminio stabilumo ir fizinio pajėgumo rodikliams. Darbo tikslui įgyvendinti buvo iškelti šie uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti hologramos poveikį sveikų, jauno amžiaus asmenų širdies ir kraujagyslių sistemos funkciniams rodikliams. 2. Įvertinti hologramos poveikį sveikų, jauno amžiaus asmenų funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipui. 3. Įvertinti hologramos poveikį sveikų, jauno amžiaus asmenų dinaminio stabilumo rodikliams. 4. Įvertinti hologramos poveikį sveikų, jauno amžiaus asmenų fizinio pajėgumo rodikliams. Tyrimas atliktas Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto Medicinos akademijos Slaugos fakulteto Sporto institute. Tyrime dalyvavo 31 asmuo. Moterų grupėje- 10 tiriamųjų (moterų amžiaus vidurkis 22,1 ±1,5 m. ( ±SEM, standartinė vidurkio įverčio paklaida), kūno masės indekso vidurkis 20,3 ±1,8 kg/m2). Vyrų grupėje - 21 tiriamasis ( amžiaus vidurkis 23,1 ± 1,2 m., kūno masės indekso vidurkis 23,6 ± 2,1 kg/m² ). Tyrimo dalyviai du kartus atliko pakopomis kas minutę didėjančio fizinio krūvio mėginį veloergometru, funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipo vertinimo (angl. Functional Movement Screen), Eurofito testų rinkinius ir Y pusiausvyros testą. Vieną kartą jie dėvėjo apyrankę su aktyvia holograma, o kitą kartą su neaktyvia holograma (placebo). Tarp atskirų testavimų buvo daroma savaitės pertrauka. Rezultatai:... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study- evaluate the effect of hologram on young healthy human cardiovascular system, movement pattern quality, dynamic stability and physical performance. Goals of this research: 1. Evaluate hologram’s effect on young healthy human cardiovascular system. 2. Evaluate hologram’s effect on young healthy human movement pattern quality. 3. Evaluate hologram’s effect on young healthy human dynamic stability. 4. Evaluate holographic effect on young healthy human physical performance This study was carried out in the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursery, Institute of Sport. 10 females (age average of 22,1 ± 1,5 m.(± SEM, standard error mean), body mass index average of 20,3 ± 1,8 kg/m2) and 21 males(age average of 23,1 ± 1,2 m., body mass index average of 23,6 ± 2,1 kg/m2) were tested. Reasearch type: each subject was tested 2 times – first time wearing wristband with active hologram and second time wearing wristband with non- active (placebo) hologram. One week interval was held between the testing in order to avoid the effect of previous testing. Tested person weren’t able to know what kind of wristband he or she is wearing during the testing. Holograms looked the same, with the same picture andthe same size. Participants performed increasing load veloergometer excirsice test, Functional Movement Screen and Eurofit test batteries, Y balance test. Results:. dynamic stability measured by Y balance testst in the anterior direction of the left... [to full text]

Borisas M., Jauno amžiaus vyrų ir moterų funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipo ir fizinio pajėgumo įvertinimas., magistro baigiamasis darbas/mokslinis vadovas doc. dr. L. Šiupšinskas; Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto, Medicinos akademijos, Slaugos fakulteto, Sporto institutas. – Kaunas, 2013, - 70 p. Darbo tikslas: įvertinti jauno amžiaus vyrų ir moterų funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipą ir fizinį pajėgumą bei jų sąsajas. Darbo tikslui įgyvendinti buvo iškelti šie uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti ir palyginti jauno amžiaus vyrų ir moterų funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipą. 2. Įvertinti ir palyginti jauno amžiaus vyrų ir moterų fizinį pajėgumą. 3. Įvertinti ir palyginti jauno amžiaus vyrų ir moterų judėjimo sistemos funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipo ir fizinio pajėgumo rodiklių sąsajas. Tyrimas atliktas Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto Medicinos akademijos Slaugos fakulteto Sporto institute. Tyrime dalyvavo 102 tiriamieji (52 vyrai ir 50 moterų). Vyrų grupė 52 asmenys, moterų grupė 50 asmenų. Amžiaus vidurkis 21,9 ± 2,8 metai (± SEM, standartinė vidurkio įverčio paklaida). Kūno masės indekso vidurkis 22,7 ± 1,9 kg/m². Tiriamieji atliko funkcinių judesių atlikimo stereotipo įvertinimo testus tokia tvarka: gilaus pritūpimo, žengimo per barjerą, įtūpsto, pečių mobilumo, aktyvaus tiesios kojos kėlimo, atsispaudimo stabiliu liemeniu, rotacinio stabilumo testus. Pailsėjus 10 minučių tą pačią tyrimo dieną tiriamieji atliko Eurofito testus: flamingo, plaštakos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / M. Borisas. Young man and woomen Functional Movement Screen and Physical Performance evaluation, master thesis/ supervisor doc. dr. L. Šiupšinskas; Lithuanian University of health sciences; Academy of medicine, Faculty of nursing, Institute of Sport. – Kaunas, 2013. p. 70. The aim of the study: evaluate young man and women group’s indicators of Functional Movement Screen and Physical Performance and the correlations. Goals of this research: 1. Evaluate and compare young men and women Functional Movements Screen. 2. Evaluate and compare Physical Performance in young age men and women groups. 3. To evaluate and compare the young men's and the women's Functional Movement Screenand physical performance indicators interfaces. The study was conducted Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy of Nursing, Faculty of Sports Institute. The study included 102 subjects (52 men and 50 women). A group of men 52, women 50 persons in the group. Mean age 21.9 ± 2.8 years (± SEM, standard error of the mean estimate). Average body mass index 22.7 ± 1.9 kg/m². Participants performed Functional Movement Screen, Eurofit test batteries. Research carried out by performing functional movement screen assessment tests in the following order: a deep squat, hurdle step, in line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg rise, trunk stability push-up, rotary stability tests. Resting for 10 minutes on the same day of the study subjects performed Eurofit tests: flamingo, plate teping... [to full text]

Antibiotic resistance is a worsening threat to human health. Increasing our understanding of the mechanisms causing this resistance will be of great benefit in designing methods to evade resistance and in developing new classes of antibiotics. In this thesis, I have used the TetR Family Transcriptional Regulators (TFRs), which constitute one of the largest antibiotic resistance regulator families, as a model system to study the structure, function and evolution of antibiotic resistance determinants. I performed a thorough examination of the variation and conservation seen in TFR sequences and structures using computational approaches. Through structure comparison, I have identified the most conserved features shared by the TFR family that are crucial for their stability and function. Based on my findings on conserved TFR structural features, a quantitative assay of binding affinity determination was developed. Through sequence comparison and a residue contact map method, I discovered the existence of a conserved residue network that correlates well with the known allostery pathway of TetR. This predicted allosteric communication network was experimentally tested in TtgR. I have also developed methods to identify TFR operator sequences through genomic comparisons and validated my prediction through experiments. In addition, I have developed an in vivo system that can be used to identify and characterize proteins that mediate resistance to almost any antibiotic. This system is simple, fast, and scalable for high-throughput applications, and could be used to discover a wide range of novel antibiotic resistance mechanisms. The principles that I applied to the TFR family could also be applied to other protein families.

Breast cancers with overexpression or amplification of the HER2 tyrosine kinase receptor are more aggressive, resistant to chemotherapy, and associated with a worse prognosis. Currently, these breast cancers are treated with the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin®). Unfortunately, not all patients respond to trastuzumab drug therapy; some patients show de novo resistance, while others acquire resistance during treatment. This thesis describes our RNAi studies to identify novel regulators of the HER2 signaling pathway in breast cancer. Three kinome-wide siRNA screens were performed on five HER2 amplified and seven HER2 non-amplified breast cancer cell lines, two normal breast cell lines, as well as two HER2-positive breast cancer cell lines with acquired trastuzumab resistance and their isogenic trastuzumab-sensitive controls. To understand the main kinase drivers of HER2 signaling, we performed a comprehensive screen that selected against growth inhibitors of the non-HER2 amplified breast cancer cell lines. This screen identified the loss of the HER2/HER3 heterodimer as the most prominent selective inhibitor of HER2-amplified breast cancers. In a trastuzumab sensitization screen on five trastuzumab-treated breast cancer cell lines, we identified several siRNA against the PI3K pathway as well as various other signaling pathways that inhibited proliferation. Finally, in a screen for acquired trastuzumab resistance, PKCη and its downstream targets were identified. Loss of PKCη resulted in a decrease in G1/S transition and upregulation of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27. Initial data suggest that PKCη promotes p27 ubiquitination and degradation. Taken together, these studies provide novel insight into the complex signaling of HER2-positive breast cancers and the mechanisms of resistance to trastuzumab therapy. This work describes how various kinases can modulate cell proliferation, and points to possible novel drug targets for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancers.

The main goal of the present study is to investigate the energy dissipation through inclined screens. Recent studies have shown that screens arranged vertically may dissipate more energy than a hydraulic jump does below small hydraulic structures. In the present study a series of laboratory experiments were performed in order to determine the effect of inclination of the screen on the energy dissipated by the screen. The porosity of the screen used in the experiments is 40%. Inclination angle, thickness of the screen, location of the screen, upstream flow depth, and the Froude number of the upstream flow are the major parameters for the laboratory experiments. Froude number of the upstream flow covered a range of 5 to 24. A screen was located up to a distance 100 times the undisturbed upstream flow depth from the gate and the thickness of the screen was changed in correlation with the depth of upstream flow. The results of the experiments show that the inclination parameter has an insignificant effect on the energy dissipated by the screen. Namely, inclination of the screen does not contribute much in reducing the energy of the flowing water further, compared to vertically placed screens.

ABSTRACT EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ENERGY DISSIPATION THROUGH TRIANGULAR SCREENS G&uuml / ng&ouml / r, Endam M.Sc., Department of Civil Engineering Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zafer BozkuS Co-Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Metin Ger May 2005, 82 pages For the present study, a series of experimental works are executed to dissipate energy through triangular screens. Recent studies have shown that the implementation of the screen for energy dissipation is an effective way to extract out the excessive energy of water downstream of small hydraulic structures located in rivers of relatively negligible sediment content. In the present study, double screen arrangement with a porosity of 40% is used. The inclination angle of the screens is opted as 60 degree. The major parameters for the present study are upstream flow depth, location of the screen together with the supercritical upstream flow Froude number for a range covering from 7.5 to 25.5. The gate opening simulating a hydraulic structure is adjusted with various heights of 1 cm, 1.25 cm, 1.6 cm, 1.7 cm, 2 cm, 2.5 cm, 2.7 cm, 3.2 cm and 3.3 cm during the study. The results of the experiments show that the triangular screen configuration with the same pore geometry has no significant additional contribution on the energy dissipation as compared to vertically placed screens. Keywords: Screen, energy dissipation, triangular configuration, porosity, hydraulic jump, supercritical flow.

There is a great demand for low-cost disposable sensors in a variety of markets, such as the food chainand health care. No assay is performed more than that of glucose and approximately 85 % of the entirebiosensor market accounts for glucose biosensors. Each year, 6 billion glucose assays are performed andthe majority of them are based on electrochemical detection. Organic electrochemical transistors(OECTs) have favorable properties in terms of low operating voltages and have previously been used asbase for electrochemical detection of glucose. A low-cost disposable biosensor can be achieved by theuse of high throughput printing techniques. Up until now, no printable biosensors based on organic electrochemicaltransistors have been developed. In this thesis a printable miniaturized prototype for a glucose biosensor based on an OECT with a platinizedgate electrode has been designed, developed and evaluated. The biosensor has been functionalizedwith the enzyme glucose oxidase. Different platinum deposition techniques have been used to depositplatinum onto the printed carbon gate electrode: electrodeposition, platinum nanoparticle solutiondeposited either by inkjet printing or pipetting and thermal evaporation. The gate electrodes were characterized with cyclic voltammetry in hydrogen peroxide, ferricyanide andglucose. The characterizations revealed no significant differences between the different deposition techniques.However, with gate electrodes produced by printed carbon followed by electrodeposition ofplatinum it was possible to sense glucose in a concentration in the range of the values for diabetic persons.Thus, the electrodes are a promising option as gate electrodes in a glucose biosensor based on anOECT. The characteristics of the OECT revealed that the responses resembled a transistor.