There is an abundance of literature examining parent-child relationships, and subsequently, parenting interventions that address these. The purpose of this study was to examine if positive and negative parental behaviors predicted externalizing behaviors in children. The following questions were addressed: (a) What are the types of positive interactions that Latinos parents engage in with their children? (b) Does a ratio of intervals of positive to intervals of negative parent behaviors predict externalizing behaviors in children among Latinos? (c) Do proportions of intervals of positive and/or negative behaviors predict a greater percentage of variance in child outcomes than does a ratio of intervals of behaviors in Latino families? Participants included 49 two-parent families with at least one child between the ages of 6 and 11. All participants were living in Puerto Rico at the time of the study and primarily spoke Spanish. Video recordings of parents interacting with their children in a variety of structured and unstructured tasks were reviewed, and 10 s intervals were coded as either negative (-), negative (+), positive or neutral. Results revealed (a) Latino parents engage in a variety of behaviors with their children, (b) a ratio of intervals of behaviors did not statistically significantly predict externalizing behaviors in Latino children, and (c) proportion of intervals of behaviors also did not statistically significantly predict externalizing behaviors in Latino children. In order to continue to inform culturally appropriate parenting interventions, it is imperative that more observational research be conducted with various cultures. It is important to look at the types of behaviors that parents from various cultures engage in with their children to inform adaptations of parenting interventions. The current study examined exclusively parents, however, future studied might also address extended family member, and teacher behaviors and interactions as well.

No description available.

Purpose: To compare the presenting symptoms and the outcomes of root canal therapy between HIV positive and HIV negative endodontic patients over a 6-12 month period. Methods: Fifty-nine HIV negative and 46 HIV positive patients presented for endodontic treatment. Signs and symptoms were noted and compared for both groups of patients, together with demographic data and CD4 counts for the HIV positive patients. Endodontic procedures were evaluated after an 18-month period. Endodontic treatment was assessed using clinical factors (palpation, percussion, sensitivity to hot and cold, swellings, excessive bleeding), and radiographic factors (periapical radiolucency, root resorption, periodontal ligament space). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative presenting symptoms of endodontic infections/conditions between HIV positive and HIV negative patients. The prevalence of radiographic caries in the presenting teeth was only 24% in the HIV positive patients compared with 95% in the HIV negative patients. For the HIV positive patients, the treatment time required to resolution of the endodontic infection was nearly twice (113 minutes) that of the HIV negative patients (52 minutes). Amongst the HIV positive patients still experiencing symptoms at 18 months, pain was more severe in those patients with lower CD4 counts (significance at the 90% level of confidence). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study the following conclusions emerge: 1. Although the success rate was lower over the period of this study in HIV positive patients, the rate is sufficiently high to warrant treatment. 2. Patients who are HIV positive may present with more severe symptoms and during treatment more bleeding may be expected. 3. In keeping with best practice for immuno-compromised patients, it would be advantageous to put HIV positive patients on antibiotic cover during treatment. 4. The process of anachoresis may explain the high incidence of endodontic infections in teeth with no history of trauma or caries in the HIV positive group.

<p> In this thesis I attempt to clarify the nature and limits of the Socratic elenchus in order to determine whether or not it is capable of justifying moral knowledge as Socrates understood it. To this end, I first compare and contrast the elenchus with previous philosophical methods. I then argue that Socrates conceived of moral knowledge as expert knowledge of virtue by way of definition. Finally, I analyze the elenchus itself, and I argue: (i) that it is, in principle, capable of adequately justifying positive convictions about virtue, but only in those cases where Socrates makes no use of premises which are either logically unsecured with.in the demonstration or which lack justification from external, nonelenctic sources (ad hoc premises) ; and (ii) that since Socrates often proclaims elenctic success despite using ad hoc premises, I conclude that his lack of epistemological and logical interest led him to habitually overestimate the results of his arguments.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

The Type VII secretion system (T7SS) is linked to virulence and long-term pathogenesis in a broad range of Gram-positive bacteria, including the human commensal and pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. The Type VIIb secretion system (T7SSb) is responsible for the export of small toxic proteins, which induce antibacterial immune responses and mediate bacterial persistence in the host. In addition, it is also involved in bacterial competition. The T7SSb requires several proteins to build up the secretion machinery. This work focuses on the structural and functional investigation of the motor ATPase EssC and the putative pore forming, multi-pass membrane component EsaA. Both proteins are indispensable for substrate secretion. EssC belongs to the FtsK/SpoIIIE ATPase family and is conserved among the T7SSs. It contains three C-terminal, cytosolic ATPase domains, designated as EssC- D1, -D2 and -D3, whereby EssC-D3 is the most distal one. In this thesis, I am presenting the crystal structure of the EssC-D3 at 1.7 Å resolution. As the deletion of EssC-D3 abrogates substrate export, I have demonstrated that this domain comprises a hydrophobic, surface-exposed pocket, which is required for substrate secretion. More specifically, I have identified two amino acids involved in the secretion process. In addition, my results indicate that not only EssC-D3 is important for substrate interaction but also EssC-D2 and/or EssC-D1. Unlike in the related Yuk T7SSb of Bacillus subtilis, the ATPase activity of D3 domain contributes to substrate secretion. Mutation of the modified Walker B motif in EssC-D3 diminishes substrate secretion completely. The membrane protein EsaA encompasses an extracellular segment spanning through the cell wall of S. aureus. I was able to reveal that this part folds into a stable domain, which was crystallized and diffracted up to 4 Å. The first attempts to dissolve the structure failed due to a lack of homologues structures. Therefore, crystals for single-wavelength anomalous dispersion, containing selenomethionyl-substitutes, were produced and the structure solution is still in progress. Preliminary experiments addressing the function of the extracellular domain indicate an important role in substrate secretion and bacterial competition. / Das Typ VII Sekretionssystem (T7SS) ist wichtig für Virulenz und Langzeit- Pathogenität von Gram-positiven Bakterien. Zu diesen gehört auch Staphylococcus aureus, bekannt als Kommensal und Pathogen im Menschen. Das Typ VIIb Sekretionssystem (T7SSb) exportiert kleine, toxische Proteine, die antibakterielle Immunantworten auslösen und für bakterielle Persistenz verantwortlich sind. Außerdem ist es an dem Konkurrenzkampf zwischen Bakterien beteiligt. Das System benötigt verschiedene Komponenten, um eine Sekretion zu ermöglichen. Diese Doktorarbeit konzentriert sich auf zwei dieser Proteine, die ATPase EssC und das Membranprotein EsaA. Beide Komponenten sind unentbehrlich für eine vollständige Funktionalität. EssC gehört zu der Familie der FtsK/SpoIIIE ATPasen und ist evolutionär in allen T7SSs erhalten. EssC besitzt drei C-terminale, zytosolische ATPase Domänen, bezeichnet als EssC-D1, -D2 und D3, wobei EssC-D3 C-terminal gelegen ist. In dieser Arbeit präsentiere ich die Kristallstruktur der ATPase Domäne EssC-D3, aufgelöst bis zu 1.7 Å. Die Domäne ist unabdingbar für die Sekretion. Durch die Strukturauflösung wurde eine hydrophobe, Oberflächen-exponierte Substrat- Bindetasche bestimmt, die eine essenzielle Rolle für den Export der toxischen Substrate einnimmt. Durch dieses Projekt konnten zwei Aminosäuren in dieser Tasche bestimmt werden, die für den Prozess der Substratsekretion wichtig sind. Weiterhin wurde bewiesen, dass nicht nur EssC-D3, sondern auch die ATPase Domäne EssC-D2 und/oder EssC-D1 mit den Substraten interagieren kann. Im Gegensatz zu dem verwandten T7SSb in Bacillus subtilis, verfügt EssC-D3 über ATPase Aktivität und ermöglicht dadurch den Substratexport. Das Membranprotein EsaA besitzt einen extrazellulären Abschnitt, der sich durch die Zellwand von S. aureus erstreckt. Dieser extrazelluläre Part besteht aus einer stabilen Domäne, welche kristallisiert werden konnte und bis zu 4 Å diffraktiert. Aufgrund von fehlenden homologen Strukturen konnte die Struktur der Domäne noch nicht bestimmt werden. Für die Phasenbestimmung, die wichtig für die Strukturauflösung ist, wurden Kristalle mit Selenomethionyl-Substituten hergestellt. Die Strukturauflösung ist noch nicht beendet. Erste Experimente bezüglich der extrazellulären Domäne zeigen, dass diese ebenfalls wichtig für die Substratsekretion und zusätzlich am Konkurrenzkampf zwischen Bakterien beteiligt ist.

Repeated emergence of similar adaptations is often explained by parallel evolution of underlying genes. However, evidence of parallel evolution at amino acid level is limited. When the analyzed species are highly divergent, this can be due to epistatic interactions underlying the dynamic nature of the amino acid preferences: The same amino acid substitution may have different phenotypic effects on different genetic backgrounds. Distantly related species also often inhabit radically different environments, which makes the emergence of parallel adaptations less likely. Here, we hypothesize that parallel molecular adaptations are more prevalent between closely related species. We analyze the rate of parallel evolution in genome-size sets of orthologous genes in three groups of species with widely ranging levels of divergence: 46 species of the relatively recent lake Baikal amphipod radiation, a species flock of very closely related cichlids, and a set of significantly more divergent vertebrates. Strikingly, in genes of amphipods, the rate of parallel substitutions at nonsynonymous sites exceeded that at synonymous sites, suggesting rampant selection driving parallel adaptation. At sites of parallel substitutions, the intraspecies polymorphism is low, suggesting that parallelism has been driven by positive selection and is therefore adaptive. By contrast, in cichlids, the rate of nonsynonymous parallel evolution was similar to that at synonymous sites, whereas in vertebrates, this rate was lower than that at synonymous sites, indicating that in these groups of species, parallel substitutions are mainly fixed by drift.

No description available.

The contribution of this dissertation is how model measurement allows examination of the balance between what is practical in terms of consumer concerns versus what is optimal in terms of cost control. Essay 1 examines a research framework that incorporates various service recovery strategies and simultaneously evaluates their comparative influences. Essay 2 evaluates the complex interrelationships among different factors related to the post-complaint behavioral process. Essay 3 fills a research gap by examining the role of brand equity by operationalizing a reflective model using PLS in operations management (OM) research. These three essays provide insight into the quality management domain and the value that is achieved via a data driven examination of theory. Moreover, this research will provide operations management practitioners a basis to carry out future research on quality management phenomena as well as insight into how to balance cost control and service recovery strategies with the goal of achieving a competitive advantage.

No description available.

Sexual minorities face unique stressors that contribute to worse mental health (Meyer, 2003). Positive psychology interventions may be able to ameliorate this. The current study pilot tested an identityspecific positive psychology intervention among 20 sexual minorities. Results suggest that the intervention reduced depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and anticipated discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. This implies that positive psychology interventions may be able to address health disparities among sexual minorities.