This study examines character traits in United States presidential campaign advertisements. It was predicted that Republican and Democratic trait content would be similar in appeal advertisements but would differ in attack and contrast advertisements. Additionally, it was expected that the traits most frequently conveyed in primary election advertisements would differ from those most frequently employed in general election advertisements. The conveyance of traits in conjunction with issues was examined. The hypotheses and research questions were tested on televised campaign ads from the 2008 and 2012 primary and general elections. Overall, both parties appeal to and attack specific character traits with similar frequencies. The traits used in primary election advertisements were much more positive than the traits used in general election advertisements. Campaigns combine issue content with specific traits in their ads. The findings of this study answer questions about how candidates build and shape their images through televised political advertisements.

Kauno miesto lopšelių - darželių ,,Girinukas“, ,,Rasytė“, ,,Vėrinėlis“, ,,Giliukas“ pedagogų bei Kauno kolegijos I ir II kurso ikimokyklinio ugdymo specialybės studentų pedagoginis pašaukimas. Literatūros šaltinių analizė; Trianguliacija (J. Hollando profesinės orientacijos tipo testas, anketinė apklausa, rašinio ,,Mano pedagoginė autobiografija (vizija)“ kontent analizė; Kiekybinė duomenų analizė, atlikta kompiuteriniu pagrindu, rezultatai apskaičiuoti statistinės analizės programa PAULA; Lyginimas. Mokytojo profesija yra nuo seno siejama su pašaukimu. Kiekvienas iš autorių skirtingai apibūdina pašaukimą, o siejant jį su pedagogo profesija, pedagoginį pašaukimą. Buvo atliktas tyrimas, kuriame buvo ištirtos visos pedagoginio pašaukimo struktūrinės dalys: motyvacija, potencija, charakteris. Tyrimo hipotezės pasitvirtino. Pedagoginio pašaukimo struktūriniai požymiai ryškesni esamų pedagogų nei būsimų pedagogų. / Kaunas kindergartens ,,Girinukas“, ,,Rasyte“, ,,Verinelis“, ,,Giliukas“ educators and Kaunas colegue I and II cursus pre - school education students pedagogical mission. Analysis of literature; Triangulation (the test orientasion type of perssonality of J. Holland, questionnair, the article ,,My pedagogical autobiography (vision)“ content analysis; The analysis of data with PC statistical analyses software PAULA (B. Bitinas 1998); Comparison. Teacher’s profession is from the earliest times related to the mission. Every of authors them describes the mission, and in relation to the pedagogue’s profession – the pedagogical mission – differently. The research was carried out by analysing all structural components of pedagogical mission: motivation, potency, nature. The research hypothesis was confirmed. Distinctness of structural components of pedagogical mission depends if this pre - school educators now or this student of pre - school educators.

Darbo tikslas – nustatyti pareigūnų, dirbančių priešgaisrinėje gelbėjimo tarnyboje, asmenybės savybių, įsipareigojimo organizacijai ir profesinio pervargimo sąsajas. Tyrimo metodai. Tyrimo metu naudotas apklausos (raštu) metodas. Naudota anketa, kurią sudarė bendra informacija (socialiniai – demografiniai kintamieji) apie tiriamąjį, Didžiojo penketo (NEO FFI) asmenybės, empatijos, įsipareigojimo organizacijai ir pervargimo darbe klausimynai. Statistinės analizės metodai: aprašomoji statistika, T kriterijus (Independent Samples T test), Pearson‘o ir Spearman‘o koreliacijos koeficientai, regresinė analizė. Tyrimo imtis. Tyrimas atliktas 2009 m. kovo-balandžio mėn. Tyrime dalyvavo 240 pareigūnų iš Šiaulių ir Telšių apskričių priešgaisrinės gelbėjimo valdyboms priklausančių priešgaisrinių gelbėjimo tarnybų. Visi (100%) tyrime dalyvavę pareigūnai yra vyrai. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, jog pareigūnai, pasižymintys labiau išreikštu neurotizmu, yra labiau pervargę darbe nei pareigūnai, pasižymintys mažiau išreikštu neurotizmu. Pareigūnai, pasižymintys mažiau išreikštu sutarimu su kitais, sąžiningumu, ekstraversija bei empatija, pasižymi didesniu profesiniu pervargimu nei pareigūnai, turintys labiau išreikštą sutarimą su kitais, sąžiningumą, ekstraversiją bei empatiją. Labiau įsipareigoję organizacijai pareigūnai yra mažiau pervargę darbe. Pareigūnai, kuriems būdingas mažiau išreikštas neurotizmas, yra labiau įsipareigoję organizacijai nei pasižymintys labiau išreikštu neurotizmu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this study – to ascertain the relations between fire fighters’ personal traits, organizational commitment and burnout at work. The methodology of the research. The study was based on four methods: Big Five (NEO FFI), Empathy Questionnaire (Omdahl, O'Donnell), the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and Burnout Inventory. It was used the descriptive statistic, the average comparison (Independent Samples T test), Pearson, Spearman correlation rates, regression analysis. The sample of research. The research was carried out March-April 2009. 240 fire fighters were surveyed (100% men) from Šiauliai and Telšiai counties fire and rescue boards fire and rescue services. The results of research showed that fire fighters with lower emotional stability links to burnout at work much more than those who have higher emotional stability. The lower empathy, agreeableness, conscientiousness and extraversion impact fire fighters’ higher burnout at work. Fire fighters’ higher organizational commitment links to lower burnout. Fire fighters’ higher emotional stability links to higher organizational commitment. And the higher fire fighters’ empathy, agreeableness, conscientiousness and extraversion links to higher organizational commitment.

The human body is home for millions of bacteria. The largest microbial community is located in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract, including the oral cavity with >700 identified taxa. Lactobacillus, which is normal inhabitant of the GI tract, contributes to health by possible biofilm and immune modulation. Breast milk is a claimed source for transmittance of Lactobacillus to infants’ GI tract, but there is limited information if breastfeeding affects lactobacilli in the oral cavity. The objectives of Papers I and II of this dissertation were to compare infant oral microbiota by feeding mode, and to characterize oral lactobacilli including potential probiotic properties of the dominant Lactobacillus species. Two cohorts with a total of 340 healthy 3- to 4-month-old infants were investigated. Saliva and oral mucosal swab samples were collected. Bacteria were characterized by culture-dependent and -independent methods, including 16S rRNA genes sequencing, quantitative PCR, and the Human Microbe Identification Microarray (HOMIM). Inhibition of growth and adhesion were also tested. Multivariate modeling of HOMIM-detected oral bacteria clustered breastfed infants separately from formula-fed infants, and linked breastfed infants to a more health-associated flora. Lactobacilli were essentially detected in breastfed infants only. Lactobacillus gasseri was most prevalent out of six identified Lactobacillus species. Infant isolates of L. gasseri bound to saliva gp340 and MUC7 and adhered to gingival epithelial cells. Infant isolates also inhibited adhesion of Streptococcus mutans to saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, and inhibited growth of S. mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces oris, Candida albicans and Fusobacterium nucleatum in a concentration-dependent fashion. Papers III and IV aimed to assess persistence of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri, if persistence is necessary for a regrowth of mutans streptococci (MS), and if L. reuteri intake affects oral microbiota composition. Two well-documented L. reuteri strains (DSM 17938 and PTA 5289) were used in two double-blind, randomized controlled trials. In the first, 62 subjects (test=32, placebo=30) with high counts of MS were exposed to L. reuteri for 6 weeks. Exposure followed full-mouth disinfection with chlorhexidine. In the second study, 44 healthy subjects (test=22, placebo=22) consumed the L. reuteri for 12 weeks. Saliva and biofilm samples were collected before, during and up to 6 months after exposure. Analyses included culture, strain-specific PCR and 454-pyrosequencing targeting the hypervariable region V3-V4 of the 16S rRNA gene. L. reuteri test strains were detected in the mouth of approximately two thirds of test participants during intake. However, their presence decreased gradually when consumption stopped. Subjects with detectable L. reuteri had slower regrowth of MS compared to non-carriers. Pyrosequencing yielded a total of 812,547 high-quality sequencing reads. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria and Actinobacteria were the major bacterial phyla recovered. Exposure to L. reuteri strains did not affect overall phylotype abundance, but multivariate modeling clustered 12-week-treated test subjects separately from those who received placebo. Exposure to the test strains was strongly associated with presence and increased levels of F. nucleatum and Streptococcus spp. In conclusion, the oral microbiota differed by feeding mode in infants. One third of breastfed infants had lactobacilli in the mouth, while only single formula-fed infant had it. L. gasseri, predominant in infants, displayed probiotic characteristics in vitro. Retention of probiotic L. reuteri was a prerequisite for delay of MS regrowth after disinfection. However, probiotic bacteria may not be beneficial for all, since L. reuteri DSM 17938 and PTA 5289 were retained in only 2 of 3 consumers. Finally, the altered microbiota after 12 weeks consumption of L. reuteri indicates that intake of probiotic bacteria, or at least L reuteri, has an impact on oral ecology. However, this finding needs further investigation. / Vår kropp består av fler mikroorganismer än egna celler.  De miljontals bakterier som finns på ut - och insidan av kroppen är som regel harmlösa och vissa är till och med till nytta för oss. Magtarmkanalen, som startar med munnen, är den kroppsdel som härbärgerar flest bakterier. Till exempel har man bara i munnen identifierat totalt mer än 700 olika arter. En av dessa är Lactobacillus, en bakterieart som finns i normalfloran och som har probiotiska egenskaper. Hos spädbarn anses bröstmjölk vara en källa för Lactobacillus i tarmen, men hur amning påverkar laktobacillförekomst i munnen är oklart. Den första delen i denna avhandling syftar till att jämföra mikrofloran i munnen hos spädbarn som ammas kontra de som får ersättning, att karakterisera vilka laktobaciller som finns i munnen hos respektive grupp och undersöka om dessa har probiotiska egenskaper. Totalt studerades saliv och prov från munslemhinnan från 340 friska 3-4 månader gamla spädbarn. Proven karakteriserades med odling, sekvensering, kvantitativ PCR och en microarraymetod (Human Microbe Identification Microarray, HOMIM), och isolerade laktobacillers effekt på växt och vidhäftning av andra munbakterier studerades. Ammade barn hade en mer hälsoassocierad mikroflora i munnen. Laktobaciller fanns bara hos ammade barn, men bara hos vart 3:e ammat barn. Av totalt sex identifierade laktobacillarter var Lactobacillus gasseri den i särklass mest förekommande arten. L. gasseri isolerade från spädbarnen band till salivproteinerna gp-340 och MUC7 samt till orala epitelceller. L. gasseri kunde även förhindra adhesion av Streptococcus mutans till konstgjord tandemalj och hämma växt av S. mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces oris, Candida albicans och Fusobacterium nucleatum. Laktobaciller förekommer i många hälsoprodukter med påstådd probiotisk effekt. Andra delen av denna avhandling syftade till att bedöma om intag av tabletter med den probiotiska arten Lactobacillus reuteri påverkar ekologin i mikrofloran i munnen, om arten etablerar sig hos alla vid exponering, och om etablering är nödvändig för probiotisk effekt (mätt som hämmad återväxt av kariesassocierade mutansstreptokocker efter antimikrobiell behandling). Två stammar L. reuteri (DSM 17938 and PTA 5289) användes i två dubbelblinda, randomiserade studier. I båda studierna intog deltagarna i testgruppen tabletter med L. reuteri-stammarna och de i kontrollgruppen identiska tabletter utan bakterier. I den första studien deltog 62 deltagare (32 test, 30 kontroll) i 6 veckor och i den andra 44 personer (22 test, 22 placebo) under 12 veckor. Saliv och biofilmsprover samlades in vid studiestart, under och upp till 6 månader efter avslutad testperiod. Proverna analyserades med odling, PCR och 454-pyrosekvensering. L. reuteri etablerade sig hos 2/3 av testpersonerna under testperioden men mängden minskade gradvis efter avslutat intag. Bland de som fick L. reuteri hade deltagarna med påvisbara teststammar fördröjd återväxt av mutansstreptokocker jämfört med de som inte hade det. Pyrosekvensering visade att totalantalet phylotyper inte skiljde sig mellan de som fick aktiva kontra placebotabletter, men att ekologin i bakteriefilmerna hos de som ätit de aktiva tabletterna ändrades. Att exponeras för L. reuteri var starkt associerat med förhöjda nivåer av F. nucleatum and Streptococcus spp. Sammanfattningsvis visar dessa studier att amning är associerad med att ha probiotiska laktobaciller i munnen men bara vissa etablerar arten i munnen. Hos vuxna försenade L. reuteri återkolonisation av mutansstreptokocker efter antibakteriell behandling, och påverkade ekologin i bakteriefilmerna i munnen. Även hos vuxna ledde exponering till etablering bara hos vissa individer.

Plants with similar traits compete for resources. If related taxa share similar traits, phylogenetic relationships may predict competitive outcomes. Although plants compete for pollinators, flowers are rarely considered in community-assembly theory. I tested the hypothesis that plant communities are structured by competition for pollination. I inventoried communities at three spatial scales, measured seven flower traits, and tested the observed patterns against those generated by a null model to judge if community members were more or less similar in floral traits than expected by chance. I also measured the phylogenetic relatedness of community members to gauge trait-conservatism. Clustering of visually attractive traits suggests they promote facilitation of pollinators while over-dispersion of morphological traits suggests they partition pollinators in to avoid competition. Communities were phylogenetically even, but relatedness did not explain floral trait patterns. I suggest that flowers represent an ecological niche through which species can be sorted.

The main goal of soybean breeding is to increase yield with improved seed quality characters. The objectives of this thesis were: i) to identify yield quantitative trait loci (QTL) across different mega-environments (ME); ii) to evaluate the relationship between yield and yield components and the co-localization of QTL; iii) to analyze environmental factors that affect QTL expression and identify different ME. Two Canadian x Chinese soybean populations were tested across Canada, northern United States and China. Yield QTL were identified at one, two and three hypothetical ME. Most of them were co-localized with agronomic trait QTL. These results give strong evidence that Canada, northern United States and China are different ME. Novel alleles from plant introductions can favorably contribute directly or indirectly to seed yield and the use of QTL would facilitate their introgression into breeding populations in both North America and China. / National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)

A novel interpretation of leaf mass variation in plants has been recently proposed based on its relationship with variation in leafing intensity – number of leaves produced per unit remaining above-ground dry mass. It is now widely established that between species variation in these two traits is strongly, negatively (and isometrically) correlated for woody and herbaceous species. Possible fitness advantages of higher leafing intensity (requiring smaller leaf size) can be interpreted in terms of the greater concentration of axillary meristems (larger ‘bud bank’), which may provide greater potential deployment flexibility for growth or reproduction. However, no research to date has addressed how these two traits are related at different scales, specifically at the between-individual (within-species) level, or between sexes in dioecious species. For the majority of 24 herbaceous angiosperms studied here, between-individual (within species) co-variation in leaf size and leafing intensity displayed as an isometric trade-off. For the few species with allometric trade-offs, plants with smaller body size produced disproportionately more leaves, indicating a possible mechanism for promoting reproductive economy when plant size is suppressed (e.g. by competition). For two out of three woody dioecious species, and two out of three herbaceous dioecious species, males tended to produce more, smaller leaves than females, possibly promoting pollen dispersal through a more broadly-spaced floral display (developing from more numerous axillary meristems). In contrast, the larger (but fewer) leaves in females may serve to maximize local photosynthetic resources available for axillary fruit and seed maturation. Males and females did not differ in branching rates associated with differences in leafing intensities, but in one herbaceous species, higher leafing intensity in males was associated with higher flower production than in females. In the larger 24-species data set, there was no evidence that species with higher leafing intensity (providing more axillary meristems) was associated with either a greater magnitude or a greater flexibility in branching or flowering intensity. Additional studies are required to explore the possibility that large ‘bud banks’ of axillary meristems (conferred by high leafing intensity) may promote effective mechanisms for tolerating environmental variability, responding to damage (e.g. from herbivory), and/or maximizing reproductive economy. / Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2009-10-27 21:20:03.509

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