The involvement of the endothelial cell in the vasoconstriction induced by angiotensin I and II (AI, AII), and norepinephrine (NE) was studied in microvessels of the hamster cheek pouch before and after the following procedures: endothelial impairment by light-dye treatment, inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), blockade of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) and inhibiting prostaglandin (PG) synthesis. The results showed that in large 2nd-order arterioles, endothelial impairment did not affect the vasoconstrictor activity of AII and NE, nor did it alter ACE activity. However, in small 4th-order arterioles, endothelial impairment significantly reduced angiotensin conversion without altering the vasoconstrictor responses to either AII or NE. Thus, the endothelium plays differential roles in the modulation of local angiotensin conversion in these distinct segments of serial-arranged arterioles. Furthermore, it is unlikely that the vasoconstrictor response to AII in these arterioles is modulated by the endothelium through a pathway involving the release of EDRF or PGs.

When an outbreak of an infectious disease occurs, public health officials need to understand the dynamics of disease transmission in order to launch an effective response. Two quantities that are often used to describe transmission are the basic reproductive number and the distribution of the serial interval. The basic reproductive number, R0, is the average number of secondary cases a primary case will infect, assuming a completely susceptible population. The serial interval (SI) provides a measure of temporality, and is defined as the time between symptom onset between a primary case and its secondary case. Investigators typically collect outbreak data in the form of an epidemic curve that displays the number of cases by each day (or other time scale) of the outbreak. Occasionally the epidemic curve data is more expansive and includes demographic or other information. A contact trace sample may also be collected, which is based on a sample of the cases that have their contact patterns traced to determine the timing and sequence of transmission. In addition, numerous large scale social mixing surveys have been administered in recent years to collect information about contact patterns and infection rates among different age groups. These are readily available and are sometimes used to account for population heterogeneity. In this dissertation, we modify the methods presented in White and Pagano (2008) to account for additional data beyond the epidemic curve to estimate R0 and SI. We present two approaches that incorporate these data through the use of a Bayesian framework. First, we consider informing the prior distribution of the SI with contact trace data and examine implications of combining data that are in conflict. The second approach extends the first approach to account for heterogeneity in the estimation of R0. We derive a modification to the White and Pagano likelihood function and utilize social mixing surveys to inform the prior distributions of R0. Both approaches are assessed through a simulation study and are compared to alternative approaches, and are applied to real outbreak data from the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong and Singapore, and the influenza A(H1N1)2009pdm outbreak in South Africa.

The revised Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale probably is the best instrument we now have for measuring the general intelligence of young people. Using this scale we can foretell to a large degree a child's future mental growth; and with this knowledge as an important part of the total knowledge needed for prediction, we can more scientifically plan his further education and his vocational choice.

Limnologists and stream ecologists acknowledge the fundamental importance of temperature for regulating many ecological, biological, chemical, and physical processes. I investigated how water temperatures were affected by hydrologic linkages between streams and lakes at various positions along surface water networks throughout several headwater basins in the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains of Idaho (USA). Temperatures of streams and lakes were measured for up to 27 months in seven 6 – 41 km2 watersheds, with a range of lake influence. When they were ice-free, warming in lakes resulted in dramatically warmer temperatures at lake outflows compared to inflow streams (midsummer average 6.4°C warming, but as much as 12.5°C). Temperatures cooled as water traveled downstream from lakes, as rapidly as 9°C km-1. Longitudinal stream cooling was usually not strong enough, however, to reduce temperatures to baseline conditions. In early spring, lakes had the opposite effect on streams, as they released water from beneath the ice at near 0°C. Early spring stream water warmed as it flowed downstream from lakes, influenced by additional groundwater inflows. In addition to lakes, other watershed characteristics influenced temperatures, though effects differed seasonally. Multiple regression analyses indicated that lake size, distance from nearest upstream lake, and stream shading were most important in explaining stream temperatures, but the relative importance of each variable changed seasonally.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(教育学) / 甲第19214号 / 教博第177号 / 新制||教||154(附属図書館) / 32213 / 京都大学大学院教育学研究科教育科学専攻 / (主査)准教授 齊藤 智, 教授 楠見 孝, 教授 Emmanuel MANALO / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Education) / Kyoto University / DGAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(教育学) / 甲第20120号 / 教博第197号 / 新制||教||164(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院教育学研究科教育科学専攻 / (主査)教授 齊藤 智, 教授 楠見 孝, 教授 Emmanuel MANALO / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Education) / Kyoto University / DGAM

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Punishment and reward feedback during motor learning tasks appear to have some beneficial impact on learning and retention, respectively. Therefore, it is possible that combining punishment and reward feedback would benefit both learning and retention. Within the sports coaching domain, a combination of punishment and reward feedback schedule has been suggested to improve performance. According to the coaching literature, the most effective approach is providing reward-to-punishment feedback. However, transitioning from punishment-to-reward feedback may be more effective based on the motor learning literature. The present study examined the utility of combining punishment and reward feedback through a transition schedule approach during a serial reaction time task. To test the competing predictions about feedback order, half the participants received punishment-to-reward feedback and the other half received the reverse order. Our results revealed that training response time significantly improved with no significant difference between the order of feedback. However, both types of feedback order did not improve retention during the same-day and delayed post-tests. Yet, the non-significant equivalence test indicates that these findings remain inconclusive. Finally, within-subjects analysis of the punishment and reward conditions found that training significantly improved response time with no difference between them. In this case, the equivalence test was significant, revealing that the estimated effect was surprisingly small. Overall, the current study failed to find conclusive evidence that the order of a transition feedback schedule matters for learning and retention. However, the difference between punishment and reward conditions may be smaller than previously assumed by motor learning studies. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / An important part of learning any skill is receiving information that helps us recognize mistakes and improve our performance, known as feedback. In fact, feedback presented as a punishment or reward has been shown to improve an individual's ability to learn and retain skills, respectively. Therefore, can combining punishment and reward feedback benefit both learning and retention? One way to deliver both types of feedback is using a transition schedule. Some have recommended that transitioning from punishment to reward feedback would be most effective, while others have suggested the reverse order. The current study examined whether the order of receiving punishment and reward feedback affected learning and retention. To test this, subjects either received punishment-to-reward feedback or reward-to-punishment feedback during a key-pressing task. Our results did not find conclusive evidence that the order mattered for learning and retention. Furthermore, the difference between punishment and reward feedback overall was smaller than previously thought. These findings highlight that more studies may need to be conducted to get a better understanding of whether the order of punishment and reward feedback can benefit both learning and retention.