Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Living and non-living”

Re-creating and understanding the origin of life represents one of the major challenges facing the scientific community. We will never know exactly how life started on planet Earth, however, we can reconstruct the most likely chemical pathways that could have contributed to the formation of the first living systems. Traditionally, prebiotic chemistry has investigated the formation of modern life’s precursors and their self-organisation under very specific conditions thought to be ‘plausible’. So far, this approach has failed to produce a living system from the bottom-up. In the work presented herein, two different approaches are employed to explore the transition from inanimate to living matter. The development of microfluidic technology during the last decades has changed the way traditional chemical and biological experiments are performed. Microfluidics allows the handling of low volumes of reagents with very precise control. The use of micro-droplets generated within microfluidic devices is of particular interest to the field of Origins of Life and Artificial Life. Whilst many efforts have been made aiming to construct cell-like compartments from modern biological constituents, these are usually very difficult to handle. However, microdroplets can be easily generated and manipulated at kHz rates, making it suitable for high-throughput experimentation and analysis of compartmentalised chemical reactions. Therefore, we decided to develop a microfluidic device capable of manipulating microdroplets in such a way that they could be efficiently mixed, split and sorted within iterative cycles. Since no microfluidic technology had been developed before in the Cronin Group, the first chapter of this thesis describes the soft lithographic methods and techniques developed to fabricate microfluidic devices. Also, special attention is placed on the generation of water-in-oil microdroplets, and the subsequent modules required for the manipulation of the droplets such as: droplet fusers, splitters, sorters and single/multi-layer micromechanical valves. Whilst the first part of this thesis describes the development of a microfluidic platform to assist chemical evolution, finding a compatible set of chemical building blocks capable of reacting to form complex molecules with endowed replicating or catalytic activity was challenging. Hence, the second part of this thesis focuses on potential chemistry that will ultimately possess the properties mentioned above. A special focus is placed on the formation of peptide bonds from unactivated amino acids, despite being one of the greatest challenges in prebiotic chemistry. As opposed to classic prebiotic experiments, in which a specific set of conditions is studied to fit a particular hypothesis, we took a different approach: we explored the effects of several parameters at once on a model polymerisation reaction, without constraints on hypotheses on the nature of optimum conditions or plausibility. This was facilitated by development of a new high-throughput automated platform, allowing the exploration of a much larger number of parameters. This led us to discover that peptide bond formation is less challenging than previously imagined. Having established the right set of conditions under which peptide bond formation was enhanced, we then explored the co-oligomerisation between different amino acids, aiming for the formation of heteropeptides with different structure or function. Finally, we studied the effect of various environmental conditions (rate of evaporation, presence of salts or minerals) in the final product distribution of our oligomeric products.

This dissertation focuses on the distribution of resources within Irish households and the implications of that distribution for the living standards of different household members. In most research on living standards, income inequality and poverty, the assumption is made that individuals living in the same household have the same standard of living. If however, different individuals within households actually experience different levels of well-being, this could have major implications for our understanding of poverty. In particular, conventional practice could lead to the extent and nature of gender differences in the experience of poverty being understated, to poverty for some children being obscured, and to the capacity of policy to improve living standards being seriously impaired. Non-monetary indicators of living standards and deprivation are increasingly being used in measuring household poverty. This study demonstrates their use in exploring differences in living standards within households. The aim of the present study was to develop a set of indicators suitable for the investigation of differences in living standards within the household - both differences between adults in a given household, and between adults and children - and to apply these indicators empirically to Ireland. This involved first designing a module of survey questions and refining them through focus group discussions with women experiencing poverty and social exclusion. The resulting set of questions was then included in the 1999 round of the Living in Ireland Survey. Research has then been carried out on the responses to this innovative set of specially-designed questions, focused on bringing out the scale and nature of differences within the household and teasing out the influences on the intra-household distribution of resources. In particular it looked at the role a woman's independent income might play and also at the impact of the presence of another adult at the interview. The results are revealing both in the specific Irish context and more broadly, from a methodological and substantive point of view.

Alongside the destruction of habitat, the impact of invasive alien species (IAS) is considered as one of the most important threats to global biodiversity. Therefore, international directives as well as national legislation call for measures to prevent the further spread of already established IAS as well as to limit their negative effects on native flora and fauna. This study deals with one of these non-native species – the American mink (Neovison vison). In order to get information about ecology and behaviour of this semiaquatic carnivore, a small population in a north German fishpond area, where mink has been spreading since the 1970s, was investigated. During the years 2003 to 2006 data about annual and circadian activity patterns, space use, territorial system as well as feeding habits and their variations during different seasons were collected. For this purpose, altogether 14 individuals (nine males, five females) were monitored using radio-telemetry. Based on the results, the potential impact of American mink on indigenous species was discussed and implications for mink control and management were deduced. American mink are difficult to radio tag. The small difference between their head and neck circumferences mean that the radio collars must be worn tightly to prevent loss. A methodological evaluation of conventional collar transmitters revealed that in six out of eight cases serious skin injuries on the necks were the consequences. Therefore, all radio collars were removed and radio transmitters were surgically implanted in the peritoneal cavity of mink by veterinarians. One male bit open the sutures and died after emergency surgery, but in 13 cases implantation did not affect survival or reproduction of the mink. With reference to animal welfare, intraperitoneal implantation of radio transmitters (in combination with observation and quarantine for several days after operation) instead of external radio collars were recommended for long term telemetry studies of American mink. Analyses of annual activity patterns revealed significant differences in seasonal activity rates. Both sexes reduced their average activity rates in cold winter months (October to February) to about 23 %. This energy-saving strategy is possible because of sufficient food availability, especially of fish, at this time. In March, male as well as female mink considerably increased their activity to almost 40 % due to the mating season. In summer months, during the pup-raising period (May to August), female activity continued to be high (between 40 and 50 %). However, male mink which are not involved in rearing the young, were less active (about 30 %) until July. But in August and September, the time of juvenile dispersal followed by changes in the territorial system and intraspecific aggression, activity rates of males increased again up to 43 %. Circadian activity rhythms differed markedly between sexes. All investigated females exhibited a perennial diurnal pattern. Three of five investigated male mink showed typical nocturnal activity throughout the year. Two males displayed arrhythmic behaviour; they did not prefer any time of the day for activity. On the one hand, gender differences in annual as well as circadian activity patterns of American mink reflect the diversity in ecological constraints, primarily the investment into reproduction. On the other hand, the different temporal strategies of sexes may have the potential to reduce intraspecific, especially intersexual competition. Investigating territorial systems and space use of mink, in comparison to other European studies, relatively large home ranges combined with a quite low population density were observed. In summer months male mink used on average 15.4 km length of waterway and female mink used on average 9.3 km length of waterway. In accordance with the trend of activity rates, male and female mink reduced their large summer home ranges by more than half during the cold winter period. But all-season male mink used significantly larger areas than female mink. High intersexual overlapping rates of home ranges and low levels of intrasexual overlapping of neighbouring home ranges confirm intrasexual territoriality of American mink. Probably, the low population density (0.6-0.7 individuals/km2) allows such high variations in seasonal and sexual home range size. During the mating season males considerably enlarged their home ranges and roamed nearly through the entire study area in search of receptive females. The shifting of stable temporary home ranges observed within one season or between the same seasons of consecutive years demonstrates the highly dynamic nature of spatial behaviour among American mink. The recorded characteristic features of spatial and temporal behaviour should be considered when planning monitoring- and management measures of this invasive carnivore. For instance, the reduced home ranges and activity rates during winter months should be taken into account in mink trapping projects. Analyses of more than 2500 scatsamples of radio tracked mink show that investigated animals principally prey on fish, small mammals and birds (eggs inclusive). There were significant seasonal variations of diet composition. In spring, the three categories of prey - fish, mammals and birds (eggs inclusive) - were hunted in similar amounts. During summer, birds and their eggs made up the main part of the diet followed by mammals. In autumn, the proportion of birds in the mink diet decreased, whereas fish gained in importance. This trend continued during the winter period, when mink preyed almost exclusively on fish. Throughout the entire year amphibians, crustaceans, insects, molluscs and reptiles were found only occasionally in scatsamples. Among birds, the mink preyed mainly on the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) followed by the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Mammalian prey was clearly dominated by the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) and among fish, mink hunted especially perch (Perca fluviatilis), roach (Rutilus rutilus) and carp (Cyprinus carpio). Results clearly demonstrate that mink is an opportunistic predator, which hunts its prey according to availability and vulnerability, respectively. Despite the high portions of fish in the autumn and winter diet, the economic damage to fishery caused by mink seems to be low. Perch and roach were preyed on in higher frequencies than the carp which is economically relevant. However, high predation on birds and their eggs during the breeding season indicates a potential negative impact of mink on waterfowl. To summarise, it can be noted that characteristic features of the anthropogenically influenced study area affect feeding habits, activity patterns, space use and density of local mink population. In this regard the management of fishponds, which influences seasonal availability of habitat- and food resources for mink, plays an important role. American mink is regarded as “invasive”, because a negative impact on native species has been proved by several European studies. Consequently, this study recommends management with a focus on effective monitoring and, if necessary, control or exclusion measures adapted to the specific local requirements. Furthermore, to prevent additional introductions into the wild, the still existing farms have to be protected against outbreaks and liberations. In the long term, a general ban on the trade and keeping of American mink would be desirable
Der Einfluss invasiver, gebietsfremder Arten wird neben der Habitatzerstörung als eine der größten Gefährdungen der Biodiversität weltweit angesehen. Sowohl internationale Umweltvereinbarungen als auch die nationale Gesetzgebung fordern daher Maßnahmen, die eine weitere Ausbreitung bereits etablierter invasiver Neozoen verhindern und deren negative Einflüsse minimieren. Die vorliegende Studie befasst sich mit einer dieser Neozoen - dem Amerikanischen Nerz bzw. Mink (Neovison vison). Um Erkenntnisse zu Ökologie und Verhalten des semiaquatischen Musteliden in Deutschland zu gewinnen, wurden Daten zu tages- und jahreszeitlichen Aktivitätsmustern, zu Raumnutzung und Territorialsystem sowie zur Nahrungswahl und den jahreszeitlichen Unterschieden im Beutespektrum der Art erhoben. Dafür konnten in den Jahren 2003 bis 2006 in einem Fischteich-Gebiet in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, wo sich Minke bereits seit den 1970er Jahren etabliert haben, insgesamt 14 Individuen (neun Männchen, fünf Weibchen) radiotelemetrisch überwacht werden. Anhand der Ergebnisse wird einerseits der potentielle Einfluss des gebietsfremden Raubsäugers auf einheimische Arten abgeschätzt und diskutiert. Andererseits werden die Ergebnisse herangezogen, um effektive Monitoring- und Managementmaßnahmen abzuleiten. Eine methodische Evaluation von Halsbandsendern zeigte, dass in sechs von acht Fällen die getesteten Halsbänder, die aufgrund des sehr ähnlichen Hals-Kopf-Umfanges der Individuen relativ eng angelegt werden müssen, Hautverletzungen verursachten. Infolgedessen wurden die Halsbandsender gegen durch Tierärzte operativ in die Bauchhöhle eingesetzte Implantationssender ausgetauscht. Auch bei allen nachfolgend gefangenen Tieren wurden die Sender implantiert. Bei insgesamt 14 durchgeführten Erstimplantationen beeinflussten mit Ausnahme eines Falles (Tod durch Aufbeißen der Naht) die Implantate weder das Überleben, noch die Reproduktion der Minke. Daher ist v.a. in Hinblick auf Tierschutzaspekte die Senderimplantation (in Kombination mit einer Mehrtages-Quarantäne) anstatt der Verwendung von externen Halsbandsendern zu empfehlen. Die Analyse der circannuellen Aktivitätsmuster ergab signifikante Unterschiede der saisonalen Aktivitätsraten. Während der kalten Wintermonate (Oktober bis Februar) zeigten beide Geschlechter mit durchschnittlich etwa 23 % eine vergleichsweise geringe Aktivität. Diese energiesparende Verhaltensweise war möglich, da auch im Winter ein ausreichend hohes Nahrungsangebot, vor allem an Fisch, vorhanden war. Im März kam es sowohl bei den Männchen als auch bei den Weibchen zu einem durch die Paarungszeit verursachten, beträchtlichen Anstieg der mittleren Aktivitätsraten auf fast 40 %. In den Sommermonaten (Mai bis August) waren die weiblichen Tiere, durch die Anforderungen der Jungenaufzucht bedingt, anhaltend häufig aktiv (zwischen 40 und 50 %). Die Aktivitätsraten der nicht an der Jungenaufzucht beteiligten Männchen dagegen nahmen im April wieder ab, um bis zum Juli auf einem vergleichsweise geringen Niveau von etwa 30 % zu bleiben. Sie stiegen jedoch während der Monate August und September erneut auf etwa 43 % an. Zu dieser Zeit wandern gewöhnlich die Jungtiere ab und suchen sich ein eigenes Streifgebiet (= Aktionsraum), dadurch kommt es zu Änderungen im Territorialsystem und damit einhergehenden innerartlichen Auseinandersetzungen. Beide Geschlechter unterscheiden sich stark in ihren tageszeitlichen Aktivitätsrhythmen. Alle Weibchen waren ganzjährig tagaktiv. Von den fünf untersuchten Männchen zeigten drei typische Nachtaktivität im gesamten Jahresverlauf. Die beiden anderen männlichen Tiere verhielten sich in ihren Aktivitätsrhythmen indifferent, sie zeigten das ganze Jahr über keine Präferenzen für eine bestimmte Tageszeit. Die geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede sowohl in den circannuellen als auch in den circadianen Aktivitätsmustern spiegeln zum einen die verschiedenen Anforderungen an die Geschlechter wieder, vor allem die Investitionen in die Fortpflanzung. Zum anderen können die geschlechtsspezifisch unterschiedlichen Zeitnutzungs-Strategien zu einer Minimierung der innerartlichen, vorzugsweise der intersexuellen Konkurrenz führen. Die Analyse der Telemetriedaten hinsichtlich Raumnutzung und Territorialsystem ergab im Vergleich zu anderen europäischen Studien relativ große individuelle Aktionsräume verbunden mit einer geringen Populationsdichte im Untersuchungsgebiet. So erstreckten sich die durchschnittlich genutzten Sommerstreifgebiete der Männchen auf 15,4 km und die der Weibchen auf 9,3 km Flusslauf bzw. Teichufer. Entsprechend dem Trend der saisonalen Aktivitätsmuster, reduzierten beide Geschlechter ihre großen Sommerstreifgebiete während der Winterhalbjahre um mehr als die Hälfte der Fläche. Allerdings nutzten die Männchen zu allen Jahreszeiten wesentlich größere Aktionsräume als die weiblichen Minke. Große Streifgebietsüberlappungen zwischen den Geschlechtern sowie verhältnismäßig niedrige Überlappungsraten der benachbarten Streifgebiete von Tieren des gleichen Geschlechts bestätigen die intrasexuelle Territorialität der Art. Die erheblichen Unterschiede der saisonalen und geschlechtsspezifischen Aktionsraumgrößen werden vermutlich durch die ermittelte, vergleichsweise geringe Populationsdichte (0,6-0,7 Individuen/km2) ermöglicht. Die ausgedehnte und sich fast über das gesamte Untersuchungsgebiet erstreckende Raumnutzung der Männchen während der Paarungszeit ist durch die Suche nach fortpflanzungsbereiten Weibchen bedingt. Die Raumnutzung der untersuchten Minke unterliegt einer hohen Dynamik, dies wird durch die häufige räumliche Verschiebung temporär stabiler Streifgebiete innerhalb einer Jahreszeit oder auch zwischen den gleichen Jahreszeiten aufeinanderfolgender Jahre verdeutlicht. All diese ermittelten charakteristischen Besonderheiten im Raum-Zeit-Verhalten der Art sollten bei der Entwicklung von Monitoring- und Managementkonzepten berücksichtigt werden. So müssen beispielsweise bei der Fallenjagd im Winter die zu dieser Zeit stark verkleinerten Streifgebiete und die reduzierten Aktivitätsraten Beachtung finden. Die Analyse der über 2500 Losungsproben telemetrierter Minke zeigte, dass sich die untersuchten Tiere hauptsächlich von Fisch, Kleinsäugern und Vögeln (inklusive deren Eiern) ernährten. Dabei traten allerdings signifikante saisonale Unterschiede in der Nahrungs-zusammensetzung auf. So wurden im Frühjahr die drei Beutekategorien Fisch, Kleinsäuger sowie Vögel und deren Eier in ähnlichen Anteilen erbeutet. Während des Sommers bildeten Vögel und Vogeleier die Hauptbeute, gefolgt von Kleinsäugern. Im Herbst verringerte sich der Vogel- und Kleinsäugeranteil im Beutespektrum zugunsten von Fisch. Dieser Trend setzte sich bis in den Winter fort; in dieser Jahreszeit ernährten sich die Minke fast ausschließlich von Fisch. Amphibien, Reptilien, Krebstiere, Insekten und Mollusken wurden im gesamten Jahresverlauf nur gelegentlich gefressen. Innerhalb der Gruppe der Vögel prädierten die Minke vor allem Blässhühner (Fulica atra), gefolgt von Stockenten (Anas platyrhynchos). Das Kleinsäuger-Beutespektrum wurde eindeutig von der Schermaus (Arvicola terrestris) dominiert und unter den Fischen erbeuteten die Minke vorzugsweise Flussbarsche (Perca fluviatilis), Plötzen (Rutilus rutilus) und Karpfen (Cyprinus carpio). Die Ergebnisse der Nahrungsanalyse bestätigen den Mink als einen opportunistischen Prädator, der seine Beutetiere je nach Verfügbarkeit bzw. dem erforderlichen Jagdaufwand nutzt. Trotz des hohen Fischanteils in der Herbst- und Winternahrung ist der durch den Mink verursachte ökonomische Schaden schätzungsweise relativ gering. Flussbarsch und Plötze wurden in höheren Frequenzanteilen erbeutet als der wirtschaftlich relevante Karpfen. Die starke Prädation von Wasservögeln und deren Eiern besonders in den Frühjahrs- und Sommermonaten weist allerdings auf einen potentiell negativen Einfluss des invasiven Raubsäugers auf diese Tiergruppe hin. Zusammenfassend lässt sich festhalten, dass die spezifischen Charakteristika des anthropogen geprägten Untersuchungsgebietes sowohl Nahrungsökologie und Aktivitätsmuster als auch Raumnutzung und Populationsdichte der lokalen Minkpopulation beeinflussen. Eine besondere Rolle hierbei spielt die Bewirtschaftung der Fischteiche, denn vor allem daraus resultiert für die Minke eine saisonal unterschiedliche Verfügbarkeit an Lebensraum und Nahrung. Negative Auswirkungen des Amerikanischen Nerzes auf die einheimische Tierwelt wurden in anderen europäischen Ländern belegt und rechtfertigen die Einstufung dieser Art als „invasiv“. Demzufolge wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit ein Management empfohlen, bei dem der Focus auf einem effektiven Monitoring und gegebenenfalls auf zweckmäßigen, an die lokalen Bedingungen angepassten Fang- oder Abwehrmaßnahmen liegt. Zudem sollten, um einer weiteren Ausbringung in das Freiland vorzubeugen, die wenigen noch existierenden Minkfarmen besser gegen Ausbrüche bzw. Freilassungsaktionen gesichert werden. Langfristig ist ein generelles Besitz- und Vermarktungsverbot für die Art wünschenswert

Wastewater from the textile industry is difficult to treat effectively due to the prevalent use and wide variety of synthetic dyes that are resistant to conventional treatment methods. White-rot fungi, such as Trametes versicolor, have been found to be effective in decolorizing many of these synthetic dyes and current research is focusing on their application to wastewater treatment. Although numerous studies have been conducted on the ability of both living and nonliving Trametes versicolor to separately decolorize textile dyes, no studies were found to have investigated the use of a mixture of live and dead fungus for decolorization. This study explored potential interactions between live and dead, autoclaved Trametes versicolor biomass in a mixed system by utilizing a series of batch tests with two structurally different synthetic textile dyes. Samples were analyzed by spectrophotometer and compared with controls to determine the effect of any interactions on decolorization. The results of this study indicate that an interaction between living and nonliving biomass occurred that affected the specific dye removal for both Reactive Blue 19, an anthraquinone textile dye, and Reactive Orange 16, an azo textile dye. This interaction was seen to improve the specific dye removal during the first 10-46 hours of experimentation but then diminish the specific dye removal after this period. This effect could be due to hydrophobins, which are surface-active proteins excreted by live fungi that may alter hydrophobicity. Additionally, the presence of adsorptive dead biomass could affect dye contact with degrading enzymes released from the live fungus. By expanding current knowledge of the interactions that take place in a fungal bioreactor and their effect on textile dye decolorization, this research aims to inspire more effective and less costly bioreactor designs for the treatment of textile wastewater.
B.S.Env.E.
Bachelors
Engineering and Computer Science
Environmental Engineering

Non-covalent interactions including nucleobase hydrogen bonding and ionic aggregation were studied in block and end-functional polymers synthesized via living polymerization techniques such as nitroxide mediated polymerization and anionic polymerization. The influence of non-covalent association on the structure/property relationships of these materials were studied in terms of physical properties (tensile, DMA, rheology) as well as morphological studies (AFM, SAXS). Hydrogen bonding, a dynamic interaction with intermediate enthalpies (10-40 kJ/mol) was introduced through complementary heterocyclic DNA nucleobases such as adenine, thymine and uracil. Hydrogen bonding uracil end-functionalized polystyrenes and poly(alkyl acrylate)s were synthesized via nitroxide mediated polymerization from novel uracil-functionalized alkoxyamine unimolecular initiators. Terminal functionalization of poly(alkyl acrylate)s with hydrogen bonding groups increased the melt viscosity, and as expected, the viscosity approached that of nonfunctional analogs as temperature increased. A novel difunctional alkoxyamine, DEPN2, was synthesized and utilized as an efficient initiator in nitroxide-mediated controlled radical polymerization of triblock copolymers. Complementary hydrogen bonding triblock copolymers containing adenine (A) and thymine (T) nucleobase-functionalized outer blocks were synthesized. Hydrogen bonding interactions were observed for blends of the complementary nucleobase-functionalized block copolymers in terms of increased specific viscosity as well as higher scaling exponents for viscosity with solution concentration. Multiple hydrogen bonding interactions were utilized to attach nucleobase-functional quaternary phosphonium ionic guests to complementary adenine-functionalized triblock copolymers. Ionic interactions, which possess stronger interaction energies than hydrogen bonds (~150 kJ/mol) were studied in the context of sulfonated poly(styrene-b-ethylene-co-propylene-b-styrene) block copolymers. Strong ionic interactions resulted in the development of a microphase separated physical network and greater extents for the rubbery plateau in DMA analysis compared to sulfonic acid groups, which exhibit weak hydrogen bonnding interactions. In contrast to the physical networks consisting of sulfonated or hydrogen bonding block copolymers, covalent networks were synthesized using carbon-Michael addition chemistry of acetoacetate functionalized telechelic oligomers to diacrylate Michael acceptors. The thermomechanical properties of the networks based on poly(propylene glycol) oligomers were analyzed with respect to the molecular weight between crosslink points (Mc) and the critical molecular weight for entanglement (Me).
Ph. D.

In this study, we introduce novel, truly non-ionic hydrogen-bonded layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings for cell surface engineering capable of long-term support of cell function. Utilizing the LbL technique imparts the ability to tailor membrane permeability, which is of particular importance for encapsulation of living cells as cell viability critically depends on the diffusion of nutrients through the artificial polymer membrane. Ultrathin, permeable polymer membranes are constructed on living cells without a cationic pre-layer, which is usually employed to increase the stability of LbL coatings. In the absence of the cytotoxic PEI pre-layer, viability of encapsulated cells drastically increases to 94%, as compared to 20-50% in electrostatically-bonded shells. Engineering surfaces of living cells with natural or synthetic compounds can mediate intercellular communication, render the cells less sensitive to environmental changes, and provide a protective barrier from hostile agents. Surface engineered cells show great potential for biomedical applications, including biomimetics, biosensing, enhancing biocompatibility of implantable materials, and may represent an important step toward construction of an artificial cell.

This dissertation involves an analysis and discussion of the legal regime governing the exploitation of non-living marine resources within national jurisdiction in East Africa. This is in light of the relatively recent offshore oil and gas discoveries off the coasts of Mozambique and Tanzania which have resulted in offshore exploration activities along the Western Indian Ocean (including the Red Sea) in pursuit of these hydrocarbons. Before delving into legal analysis and discussion, the dissertation departs by providing background on the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC)2 which is the international legal regime governing maritime spaces and the contributions made by, inter alia, East African coastal States to bring it about. From here, the dissertation ventures into an analysis and discussion of the legal zones claimed by East African coastal States within which exploitation activities may occur. This part of the discussion involves, among other things, an in depth analysis of the practices of East African coastal States as far as establishing maritime zones in terms of international law. The dissertation then proceeds to discuss which East African coastal States have delimited their maritime zones where they overlap with neighbouring States with adjacent and/or opposite coasts. The discussion highlights which States, in terms of international law, have clearly defined the ambit of their maritime jurisdiction by establishing a delimitation boundary where claims to maritime zones overlapped. This part of the dissertation also discusses which States have not delimited their overlapping maritime zones and the reasons for the lack of delimitation. Following this, the dissertation moves on to discuss the LOSC provisions applicable to exploiting non-living resources, and analyse whether the laws of East African coastal States that pertain to exploiting these resources adequately give effect to LOSC. Finally, in light of the above analysis and discussions, the dissertation moves on to establish if whether or not the legal infrastructure of East African coastal States is adequate for exploiting non-living resources within their national jurisdiction. Generally, the findings reflect favourably on the legal framework of East African coastal States. However, the pressing issue is the practices of some States in respect of claiming certain maritime zones and where necessary, not delimiting these zones. This results in uncertainty as to the maritime jurisdiction of a coastal State, especially with resources such as oil and gas which may straddle across boundaries. Moreover, it creates conflict and as such, threatens peace and security in the region as well as stunt economic and socio-economic development. As such, this dissertation, on the one hand, reflects the advancement of East African coastal States from contributing towards the adoption and coming into effect of LOSC, as well as giving effect to it domestically as far as exploiting non-living resources within national jurisdiction is concerned. On the other hand, it highlights the work that lays ahead for East African coastal States in order for them to fully enjoy their right.

Comme les gens vieillissent, ils sont souvent confrontés à un certain degré de diminution des capacités cognitives ou de la force physique. Isolement de la vie sociale, mauvaise qualité de la vie, et risque accru de blessures en sont les principales conséquences. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) est une vision de la façon dont les gens vivent leur vie dans leur propre maison, à mesure qu'ils vieillissent : handicaps ou limitations sont compensées par la technologie, là où le personnel de prestation de soins est rare ou des proches ne sont pas en mesure d'aider. Les personnes concernées sont assistés par la technologie. Le terme "ambiante" en AAL exprime, ce que cette technologie doit être, au- delà de l’assistance. Elle doit être intégrée dans l’environnement de manière à ce qu'elle ne soit pas reconnue en tant que tel. L'interaction avec les résidents doit être intuitive et naturelle. L'équipement technique doit être discret ct bien intégré. Les domaines d'application ciblés dans cette thèse sont le suivi de l’activité et la recherche de profils d'activités dans des appartements ou des petites maisons. L'acquisition d’informations concernant l’activité des résidents est vitale pour le succès de toute la technologie d’assistance. Dans de nombreux domaines de la vie quotidienne, ceci est déjà de la routine. L’état de l’art en matière de technologie de détection comprend des caméras, des barrières lumineuses, des capteurs RFID, la radiolocalisation de signal en utilisant des transpondeurs et des planchers sensibles à la pression. En raison de leurs principes de fonctionnement, ils ont malheureusement un impact important sur les environnements domestiques et de vie. Par conséquent, cette thèse est consacrée à la recherche de technologies d’acquisition d’informations de l’activité non-intrusive ayant un impact minimal sur la vie quotidienne. Deux technologies de base, la détection de présence passive sans dispositif et le suivi de charges de manière non-intrusive, sont prises en compte dans cette thèse
As people grow older, they are often faced with some degree of decreasing cognitive abilities or physical strength. Isolation from social life, poor quality of life, and increased risk or injuries are the consequence. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is a vision for the way people live their life in their own home, as they grow older: disabilities or limitations are compensated for by technology, where care-giving personnel is scarce or relatives are unable to help. Affected people are assisted by technology. The term "Ambient" in AAL expresses, what this technology needs to be, beyond assistive. It needs to integrate into the living environment in such a way that it is not recognized as such any more. Interaction with residents needs to be intuitive and natural. Technical equipment should be unobtrusive and well integrated. The areas of application targeted in this thesis are activity monitoring and activity pattern discovery in apartments or small houses. The acquisition of information regarding the residents' activity is vital for the success of any assistive technology. In many areas of daily life, this is routine already. State-of-the-art sensing technology includes cameras, light barriers, RFID sensors, radio signal localization using transponders, and pressure sensitive Floors. Due to their operating principles, they have a big impact on home and living environments. Therefore, this thesis is dedicated to research for non-intrusive activity information acquisition technology, that has minimal impact on daily life. Two base technologies are taken into account in this thesis

The generalized Langevin equation (GLE) has been used to describe the dynamics of particles in a stationary environment. To better understand the dynamics of polymerization, the GLE has been generalized to the irreversible generalized Langevin equation (iGLE) so as to incorporate the non-stationary response of the solvent. This non-stationary response is manifested in the friction kernel and the behavior of the projected (stochastic) force. A particular polymerizing system, such as living polymerization, is specified both through the parameters of the friction kernel and the potential of mean force (PMF). Equilibrium properties such as extent of polymerization have been obtained and are consistent with Flory-Huggin¡¯s theory. In addition, time-dependent non-equilibrium observables such as polymer length, the polymer length distribution, and polydispersity index (PDI) of living polymerization have been obtained. These have been compared to several experiments so as to validate the models, and to provide additional insight into the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of these systems. In addition to the iGLE, a stochastic model has been used to study the effect of nonequilibrium reactivity on living polymerization. This model can be used to determine whether the reaction is controlled by kinetics or diffusion. A combination of the iGLE and stochastic models may help us obtain more information about living polymerization.

Digital consultations in primary care have the advantage of offering equal healthcare for people residing in the countryside. While it is gaining acceptance among young- and middle-aged people, the elderly are reluctant to use it. The aim of this study was hence to identify reasons for non-use among elderly in the countryside and describe perceived possible challenges and opportunities with digital consultations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 persons over 65 years old residing in the Swedish countryside. There was a mistrust for services offered by private companies and their public funding, a lack of knowledge of available services, and a lack of perceived usefulness. Personal interaction and continuity was more important than time or travel conveniences, although these advantages were recognized. To prevent digital exclusion, caregivers need to offer information, encouragement, or tools for the elderly. Digital primary care also needs to offer familiarity, with continuity and personal connections.

Honeybee queens produce a number of pheromones that influence the behaviour and physiology of worker bees. The mandibular gland secretion of queens, the major pheromone source, suppresses the formation of emergency queen cells, worker reproduction and coordinates the social organisation of the colony. A study of analytical procedures for honeybee queen mandibular gland pheromone was undertaken, with the aim of doing multiple analyses of the same individual over a period of time. Attention was given to developing new non-destructive sampling methods that would help to characterize signal changes. This study involves the characterisation of non-destructive sampling devices that are highly selective and sensitive towards extraction of mandibular pheromone. Two polymer based sampling techniques, solid phase micro extraction and silicone rubber tubing, compatible with gas chromatography were studied. A solvent extract, of mandibular pheromone was analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and employed as a tested reference method for the two newly developed techniques. Direct sampling with solid phase micro extraction fibres at the glandular openings at the base of the mandibles is a non-destructive method that met our objectives. Mandibular gland secretions from living honeybee queens were sampled with polar and non-polar fibres. Non-polar fibres were saturated with Bis(trimethylsilyl)triflouroacetamide (BSTFA) prior to mandibular pheromone extraction. Treatment of the polymer devices with derivatising agent enhances extraction of polar components of the mandibular pheromone. BSTFA saturated non-polar fibres with a low-polarity column gave consistent results compared to polar fibres with a mid-polar column. The results confirmed that the solid phase micro extraction technique is a sensitive and non-destructive method that can ideally be used to analyse insect secretions particularly in tracking temporal changes in the secretion composition during an individual’s life. Silicone rubber tubing consisting of polydimethylsiloxane was explored as an alternative sampling technique for pheromones from living individuals. Prepared One cm long silicone rubber tubing was saturated with BSTFA prior to mandibular pheromone extraction to enhance extraction of polar components. Preliminary studies done on mandibular pheromone standards sampled with this method showed promising results. However, queen mandibular secretion analyses were characterized by low recovery of pheromonal compounds. The new polymer based techniques that we employed isolated the mandibular pheromones from living honeybee queens directly from the mandibles. The pheromonal components of the mandibular gland secretion were successfully analysed. Copyright
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009.
Chemistry
unrestricted

This thesis reports the results of a comparison of the experiences of community participation between two groups of people - people with intellectual disability and non-disabled people. An interview schedule was developed, based on the social integration literature, government policy and a small empirical study. The common factors from these three bases were represented in the interview schedule which covered the areas of degree of social contact with family, friends and neighbours; involvement in the local community; and degree of satisfaction with the local community. Thirty people with intellectual disability and sixty non-disabled people were interviewed using the schedule. The non-disabled people lived in the same street (if possible) or within very close vicinity of the people with intellectual disability. The findings of community participation for people with intellectual disability reflected other research, indicating that this group had limited social contact, and reported few friendships in the community, but participated to a large extent in community activities and made use of community facilities. This group were also inclined to report satisfaction with living in, and feeling like part of the community. For non disabled people, the findings reflect a group that does not particularly feel like part of the community and makes limited use of community facilities. However, this group reported regular contact with family, friends and neighbours. The above findings are discussed with relevance to policy, theory, research and practice.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2009.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-100).
Climate Change is one defining issue of our time. With the increasingly sophisticated uses of energy, we have to face the problem as energy shortage and global warming. Since almost one-fourth of US energy is consumed by homes, creating high-performance low-energy houses and educating people about energy-related decision making, is perhaps the first and most cost-effective way of addressing energy issue. Towards this end, I propose a learning tool to educate non-experts about energy-related design and decision-making of their own homes. This tool, BIM Game, is based on BIM (Building Information Modeling) and E-learning game. By integrating BIM and Serious Game together, the new responsive model can change design education from the professionals to all people who care about energy issue and living environment. Through learning by playing, it is able to create a deep-learning environment and also add emotion to the problem-solving process. It also explores innovative shifts in building industry for consumer participative design and file-to-factory fabrication strategies, change the role of the consumer from the last benefit end-user to the first decision maker. So finally it will take advantage of the inexpensive computation, to raise the public awareness of participative design, energy efficiency, healthy living, and sustainability.
by Lin Yang.
S.M.

Thesis (D.Min.)--South Florida Center for Theological Studies, 2003.
DOLPHINS stands for "Different Options for Living Playing and Hoping In Non-violence and Safety" Includes bibliographical references.

Le premier chapitre de cette thèse traite de l'importance des échelles temporelles et spatiales dans le contexte des systèmes vivants. J'y décris également les principaux composants de la réponse mécanique des cellules vivantes. Après ce chapitre introductif, le deuxième chapitre est dédié à la réponse mécanique des cellules évaluée avec l'AFM et en particulier, son aspect dynamique. Je présente d'abord l'analyse des courbes force-indentation, puis je propose une méthode alternative pour l'étude de la rhéologie cellulaire qui est basée sur l'excitation multifréquence du levier par bruit thermique. La DPM est l'objet du troisième chapitre où je revisite la méthode d'extraction de phase en utilisant la transformation en ondelette à deux dimensions. Ensuite je montre comment la DPM peut être utilisée pour caractériser les fluctuations temporelles et la morphologie de différents types de cellules du sang et de cellules adhérentes. Finalement, le chapitre quatre est un chapitre de conclusion où je fais une synthèse des résultats obtenus. Par exemple, je montre que, en comparaison avec des cellules saines, les cellules leucémiques subissent des changements morphologiques qui sont accompagnés par un comportement mécanique plus rigide et plus élastique. Cela indique que dans cet exemple la transformation cellulaire n'est pas seulement donnée par son cortex mais aussi par son cytosquelette et son couplage avec le noyau
In the first chapter of this thesis I discuss the importance of spatial and temporal scales in living systems, and I review the main components involved in the mechanical response of living cells. After this introductory chapter, the second one is dedicated to evaluating the mechanical response of single-cells with AFM, and in particular, its dynamical aspect. I present the analysis of force-indentation curves without any assumption on the linearity of the system, contrary to more typical analysis based on Sneddon’s or Hertz models. Then, I propose an alternative method to study the cell rheology based on the multi-frequency excitation of the cantilever by thermal noise. DPM is discussed on chapter three. I revisit the phase recovery method using the 2D wavelet transform, and I show how DPM can be used to characterize the temporal fluctuations and the morphology of different types of blood cells and adherent cells. Finally, chapter four is a conclusion chapter where I summarise our results by comparing healthy and pathological immature blood cells. For instance I show that, in comparison to healthy cells, leukaemic cells undergo morphological changes that are accompanied by a stiffer and more elastic behaviour. Altogether, our results indicate that this cell transformation involves the whole cytoskeleton and its coupling to the nucleus rather than simply the cell cortex

Using a narrative inquiry approach, this thesis focuses on the teaching practice of a non-Inuit teacher working in a primary school of Nunavik (northern Québec). The author reviewed a narrative of her experience in a small Inuit community where she taught a multi-level group in French immersion. She used the diary writing of other non-Indigenous women who also traveled in the Northern regions of Canada, Alaska and Greenland to understand recurrent behavior patterns that link her to these female adventurers. Poststructuralist and feminist, this very personal approach to hermeneutic research raises fundamental questions of modern colonialism and critical pedagogy and is based on a belief in curriculum theory and its critical view on the need for social justice.
Utilisant l'étude de récits, cette thèse élabore sur les pratiques pédagogiques d'une enseignante non-inuit travaillant dans une école primaire du Nunavik au Québec. L'auteure étudie le récit de son expérience dans une petite communauté inuit où elle a enseigné à un groupe multi-niveaux de jeunes en immersion française. Elle utilise les écrits d'autres femmes non-autochtones qui ont aussi voyagé dans les régions arctiques du Canada, de l'Alaska et du Groenland pour comprendre son comportement et ce qui la lie à ces femmes. Poststructuraliste et féministe, cette approche très personnelle de la recherche herméneutique soulève d'importantes questions portant sur le colonialisme moderne ainsi que la pédagogie critique et se fonde sur la théorie du curriculum et ses opinions critiques exigeant la justice sociale.

In Australia, non-Aboriginal people have been involved in Aboriginal education since the end of the 19th century. There has been ongoing criticism of non-Aboriginal involvement in Aboriginal education and a movement towards Aboriginalisation in education. This study addresses the issues faced by six non-Aboriginal teachers in remote Aboriginal communities in the 1990's. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of non-Aboriginal teachers living and working in remote Aboriginal communities in the 1990's. Through this research I found that the non-Aboriginal teachers faced difficulties living and working in remote Aboriginal communities. They talked about the distinctive lifestyle and living conditions. They reported a need for pre-service and ongoing professional development focusing on aspects influencing their lives. The discussion topics included: their living circumstances; Aboriginal world view; Aboriginal health issues; community issues; Aboriginal teaching and learning styles and school policies. The study is consistent with previous research about non-Aboriginal teachers living and working in remote Aboriginal communities. It argues that pre-service and ongoing professional development is vital for the success of non-Aboriginal teacher in remote communities. Community based educational programs for non-Aboriginal teachers are needed. These programs should include non-Aboriginal teachers learning about Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal learning and teaching styles and the development and implementation of educational policies. These programmes need to include discussion of aspects of living in isolated settings. Schools and governing bodies involved need to develop closer liaison with non-Aboriginal teachers to support their living in this setting. It is also important that policies in place address the problem of the high turnover of non-Aboriginal staff experienced by remote community schools.;This study also poses the question what is the future for non-Aboriginal teachers in remote Aboriginal communities? Aboriginalisation in remote Aboriginal communities is highly recommended.

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW)
Societies today are rapidly expanding, both demographically and politically, thereby causing adolescents who are HIV positive to be faced with multifaceted challenges. For these societal demands, young people need to acquire the relevant skills. The life skills approach has been found to improve adolescent changes by building skills that are necessary components of healthy development and enables adolescents to deal with life challenges. Evidence suggests that the life skills approach promotes social, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral competencies that are important in decreasing negative or high-risk behaviours (Pearlstein et al.,2013, Mellins et al.,2012) . The aim of this research was to evaluate the life skills programme utilised by social workers, social auxiliary workers and community workers at an NGO that deals with HIV positive adolescents.

Understanding of bio-nano-interfaces of living mammalian cells will benefit the identification of cellular alterations (e.g. nucleic acids, amino acids, biomechanics, etc.) due to external stimuli, the design of biomaterials (e.g. nanoparticles, nanotubes) and the investigation of the interaction between cells and bio-nano-interfaces (e.g. cell differentiation on 3D nanostructured materials). Analytical techniques can be applied to evaluate the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of mammalian cells when exposed to such bio-nano-interfaces. In this study, non-invasive advanced spectroscopy techniques including atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman microscopy (RM), in conjunction with traditional biological methods are utilized to elucidate specific characteristic information for biological samples and how these property changes reflect the interaction with external stimuli. The focus of this dissertation is on the biophysical, biochemical and cytotoxic detection of mammalian cells interacting with bio-nano-interfaces, and this dissertation can be classified into three topics: biomechanics/cellular biopolymers measurement, bio-interfaces and nano-interfaces studies. For the topic of biomechanics/cellular biopolymers measurement, cellular biophysical and biomechanical properties could be used as differentiation markers to classify cellular differentiation. For the bio-interfaces part, it was observed that BRMS1 expression changed cellular biochemical and biomechanical properties, and the expressions of reactive oxidative species (ROS), apoptosis and cell viability of five types of cells displayed similar patterns over doxorubicin (DOX) incubation time. Secondly, A549 cells were treated with diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and resveratrol (RES) to study the effect of RES on the DEP-induced cells, and it was found that RES can alleviate DEP intervention on cellular structure and increase DEP-induced biomechanical and inflammatory changes. For the nano-interfaces topic, first we synthesized a hybrid nanoparticle with the multimodal properties of fluorescence imaging, Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection and photothermal therapy (PTT) for single living cell analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and specifically killed cancer cells with high EGFR expression. Additionally, to increase surface area, light-heat conversion efficiency and biocompatibility, we developed a silica coated nanoparticle conjugated with anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) antibody. Finally, three-dimensional TiO2 nanotubes with Au nanoparticles coating were synthesized and used to study trophoblast-derived stem-like cells growth on such 3D nanostructures.

The purpose of this study was to identify the youth who do not participate in Independent Living Program (ILP) services and, if possible, to ascertain if any characteristics or factors appear to affect participation in ILP services. The study utilized a quantitative research method to assess ILP participation by extracting data from existing case records via a data extraction form created in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Legislation, Research and Quality Support Services Unit.

A significant theoretical change in the history of dwelling in Kerala has caused the current dwelling practices to be less responsive to its ecological existence. This research investigated the evolution of dwellings in Kerala as changing human ecological relationships, in the hope of developing a holistic model that can represent the complex process of dwelling. The human ecological model that is proposed in this research throws light on the continuation of ancient architectural theory in Kerala and is intended to motivate relevant professionals such as architects, planners and builders to develop a holistic and environmentally aware approach in their practice.

Background: A growing number of older people, mainly women, live in single households. They represent avulnerable group as staying at home may turn out challenging when care needs increase, particularly at the end oflife. Non-kin-carers can play an essential role in supporting individuals' preferences to stay at home. In research Little attention has been paid to non-kin-carers, such as friends and neighbors, yet. Thus, the Older People Living Alone (OPLA) study will evaluate whether non-kin support is robust enough to enable care dependent people to stay athome even at the end of life. This paper aims to introduce the research protocol. Methods: We plan to apply a qualitative longitudinal study to better understand how older people living aloneand their non-kin-carers manage to face the challenges with increased care needs towards the end-of-life. We willconduct serial interviews with the older persons living alone and their non-kin-carers. A total of 20-25 completedata sets and up to 200 personal interviews were planned. These will be complemented by regular telephonecontacts. All interviews will be analysed following the grounded theory approach and strategies for reconstructingcase trajectories, supported by MAXQDA software. In the course of the study, inter- and transdisciplinary workshopsshall assure quality and support knowledge transfer. Discussion: This study protocol aims to guide research in a field that is difficult to approach, with regard to itstopic, methodology and the interdisciplinary approach. As this study introduces longitudinal qualitative Research methodology in the field of home care in Austria, a deeper understanding of (end-of-life-) care trajectories will beenhanced, which is of major relevance for future care planning. With investment in additional reflexivity andcommunication procedures innovative results and robust knowledge are expected outcomes.

In Australia, non-Aboriginal people have been involved in Aboriginal education since the end of the 19th century. There has been ongoing criticism of non-Aboriginal involvement in Aboriginal education and a movement towards Aboriginalisation in education. This study addresses the issues faced by six non-Aboriginal teachers in remote Aboriginal communities in the 1990's. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of non-Aboriginal teachers living and working in remote Aboriginal communities in the 1990's. Through this research I found that the non-Aboriginal teachers faced difficulties living and working in remote Aboriginal communities. They talked about the distinctive lifestyle and living conditions. They reported a need for pre-service and ongoing professional development focusing on aspects influencing their lives. The discussion topics included: their living circumstances; Aboriginal world view; Aboriginal health issues; community issues; Aboriginal teaching and learning styles and school policies. The study is consistent with previous research about non-Aboriginal teachers living and working in remote Aboriginal communities. It argues that pre-service and ongoing professional development is vital for the success of non-Aboriginal teacher in remote communities. Community based educational programs for non-Aboriginal teachers are needed. These programs should include non-Aboriginal teachers learning about Aboriginal culture, Aboriginal learning and teaching styles and the development and implementation of educational policies. These programmes need to include discussion of aspects of living in isolated settings. Schools and governing bodies involved need to develop closer liaison with non-Aboriginal teachers to support their living in this setting. It is also important that policies in place address the problem of the high turnover of non-Aboriginal staff experienced by remote community schools. This study also poses the question what is the future for non-Aboriginal teachers in remote Aboriginal communities? Aboriginalisation in remote Aboriginal communities is highly recommended.

Planarian maintained in spring water and exposed for two hours to temporally patterned, weak (1 to 5 μT) magnetic field in the dark displayed diminished mobility that simulated the effects of morphine and enhanced this effect at concentrations associated with receptor subtypes. A single (5 hr) exposure to this same pattern following several days of exposure to a very complex patterned field in darkness dissolved the planarian and was associated with an expansion of their volume. Spectral power density analyses of direct measurements of the spring water only following exposure to this field in darkness showed emission spectra that were displayed from control conditions by ~10 nm and associated with an energy increment of ~10-20 J. This value is an intrinsic solution for the physical properties of the water molecule. “Shielding” the exposed water with plastic, aluminum foil or copper foil indicated that only the latter eliminated a powerful spike in photon emission around 280 nm. Continuous measurement of pH indicated that the slow shift towards alkalinity over 12 hours of exposure was associated with enhanced transient pH shifts of .02 units with typical durations between 20 and 40 ms. These results indicate that the appropriately patterned and amplitude of magnetic field that affects water directly could mediate some of the powerful effects displayed by biological aquatic systems.

This study identified issues, problems, barriers and opportunities which impact the residential experience for non-traditional undergraduate students living in traditional college and university residence halls. Non-traditional students were defined as students twenty-five years of age or older. The study utilized two distinct research methods; a demographic survey of chief housing officers and the modified Delphi study of non-traditional students' impressions and issues to be considered as barriers and enablers in their residence hall experience.Chief housing officers from 101 institutions within a four state area in the Midwest reported 7180 non-traditional students currently living in traditional residence halls. Most chief housing officers were aware of these students on campus, but many of the officers wrote that because this was a negligible number of students, little had been done especially to accommodate this group.Chief housing officers identified the following top five needs of non-traditional students: 1) quiet and privacy, 2) contractual arrangements, 3) issues related to living and relating to others, 4 family issues, and 5) special programming. Four of the top five needs were analyzed by the researcher as institutional barriers according to Cross' Chain of Response (COR) Model; other barriers identified included dispositional barriers and situational barriers.The chief housing officers most frequently reported the following plans to meet the needs of non-traditional students~ 1) to alter contractual arrangements, 2) to renovate facilities, 3) to group students together, and 4) to develop special services or policies.The 30 non-traditional students who participated in the modified Delphi study identified barriers as unique needs or issues that adversely affected their participation or satisfaction with overall residence hall experiences. The top five barriers they identified were: 1) difficulties due to maturity differences, 2) too much noise, 3) not having housing over breaks, 4) lack of same age companionship, and 5) policies that were too restrictive for adult life styles. Three of the top five barriers were analyzed by the researcher as institutional barriers; others were analyzed as situational or dispositional barriers.The non-traditional students identified enablers as circumstances that positively affected their participation or satisfaction with overall residence hall experiences. The top five enablers identified were: 1) accessibility to campus facilities and resources, 2) convenience, 3) enhanced academic focus while living on campus, 4) greater involvement in the institution, and 5) increased faculty contact and affordability (tied). Cross' COR Model likewise was applied, unconventionally, by the researcher to the enabling issues. Five of the six predominant enablers were analyzed as institutional enablers; others were analyzed as dispositional enablers.Suggested solutions to these barriers were offered by non-traditional students. Students either asked to be housed separately or treated differently from traditional age students, to have policies enforced consistently and more frequently, or to have programs and mechanisms in place to bring about greater interaction and ultimate appreciation of the differences between non-traditional and traditional students.
Department of Educational Leadership

Background: Students of diverse ethnic backgrounds, including nonnative English speakers, also known as those who speak English as an additional language (EAL) are increasingly enrolling in prelicensure nursing programs. Information regarding success of EAL nursing students is limited, with emphasis on traditional prelicensure programs. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of recent EAL graduates of an accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing program by offering a firsthand account of being an EAL student in this type of nursing program. Theoretical Framework: Leininger's Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality and Vygotsky's Theory of Socio-Historical Learning served as the theoretical framework. Methods: The research tradition of hermeneutic phenomenology utilizing the van Manen approach was applied to this study. Results: The study revealed five major themes: bridging cultures, needing more time, myriad of emotions, network of support, and finding my way. Several subthemes emerged to support major themes illustrating the complexity of being an EAL student in a fast-paced and challenging program. Conclusions: Exploring experiences of EAL graduates while enrolled in an accelerated second-degree baccalaureate nursing program offers insight into the challenges faced by EAL students and potentially influences nursing education, practice, and policy to improve the numbers of diverse nurses.

Cette thèse est dédiée à l’analyse et la modélisation d'expériences où la position d'un traceur dans le milieu cellulaire est enregistrée au cours du temps. Il s’agit de pouvoir de retirer le maximum d’information à partir d’une seule trajectoire observée expérimentalement. L’enjeu principal consiste à identifier les mécanismes de transport sous-jacents au mouvement observé. La difficulté de cette tâche réside dans l’analyse de trajectoires individuelles, qui requiert de développer de nouveaux outils d’analyse statistique. Dans le premier chapitre, un aperçu est donné de la grande variété des dynamiques observables dans le milieu cellulaire. Notamment, une revue de différents modèles de diffusion anormale et non-Gaussienne est réalisée. Dans le second chapitre, un test est proposé afin de révéler la rupture d'ergodicité faible à partir d’une trajectoire unique. C’est une généralisation de l’approche de M. Magdziarz et A. Weron basée sur la fonction caractéristique du processus moyennée au cours du temps. Ce nouvel estimateur est capable d’identifier la rupture d’ergodicité de la marche aléatoire à temps continu où les temps d'attente sont distribués selon une loi puissance. Par le calcul de la moyenne de l’estimateur pour plusieurs modèles typiques de sous diffusion, l’applicabilité de la méthode est démontrée. Dans le troisième chapitre, un algorithme est proposé afin reconnaître à partir d’une seule trajectoire les différentes phases d'un processus intermittent (e.g. le transport actif/passif à l'intérieur des cellules, etc.). Ce test suppose que le processus alterne entre deux phases distinctes mais ne nécessite aucune hypothèse sur la dynamique propre dans chacune des phases. Les changements de phase sont capturés par le calcul de quantités associées à l’enveloppe convexe locale (volume, diamètre) évaluées au long de la trajectoire. Il est montré que cet algorithme est efficace pour distinguer les états d’une large classe de processus intermittents (6 modèles testés). De plus, cet algorithme est robuste à de forts niveaux de bruit en raison de la nature intégrale de l’enveloppe convexe. Dans le quatrième chapitre, un modèle de diffusion dans un milieu hétérogène où le coefficient de diffusion évolue aléatoirement est introduit et résolu analytiquement. La densité de probabilité des déplacements présente des queues exponentielles et converge vers une Gaussienne au temps long. Ce modèle généralise les approches précédentes et permet ainsi d’étudier en détail les hétérogénéités dynamiques. En particulier, il est montré que ces hétérogénéités peuvent affecter de manière drastique la précision de mesures effectuées sur une trajectoire par des moyennes temporelles. Dans le dernier chapitre, les méthodes d’analyses de trajectoires individuelles sont utilisées pour étudier deux expériences. La première analyse effectuée révèle que les traceurs explorant le cytoplasme montrent que la densité de probabilité des déplacements présente des queues exponentielles sur des temps plus longs que la seconde. Ce comportement est indépendant de la présence de microtubules ou du réseau d’actine dans la cellule. Les trajectoires observées présentent donc des fluctuations de diffusivité témoignant pour la première fois de la présence d’hétérogénéités dynamiques au sein du cytoplasme. La seconde analyse traite une expérience dans laquelle un ensemble de disques de 4mm de diamètre a été vibré verticalement sur une plaque, induisant un mouvement aléatoire des disques. Par une analyse statistique approfondie, il est démontré que cette expérience est proche d'une réalisation macroscopique d'un mouvement Brownien. Cependant les densités de probabilité des déplacements des disques présentent des déviations par rapport à la Gaussienne qui sont interprétées comme le résultat des chocs inter-disque. Dans la conclusion, les limites des approches adoptées ainsi que les futures pistes de recherches ouvertes par ces travaux sont discutées en détail
This thesis is dedicated to the analysis and modeling of experiments where the position of a tracer in the cellular medium is recorded over time. The goal is to be able to extract as much information as possible from a single experimentally observed trajectory. The main challenge is to identify the transport mechanisms underlying the observed movement. The difficulty of this task lies in the analysis of individual trajectories, which requires the development of new statistical analysis tools. In the first chapter, an overview is given of the wide variety of dynamics that can be observed in the cellular medium. In particular, a review of different models of anomalous and non-Gaussian diffusion is carried out. In the second chapter, a test is proposed to reveal weak ergodicity breaking from a single trajectory. This is a generalization of the approach of M. Magdziarz and A. Weron based on the time-averaged characteristic function of the process. This new estimator is able to identify the ergodicity breaking of continuous random walking where waiting times are power law distributed. By calculating the average of the estimator for several subdiffusion models, the applicability of the method is demonstrated. In the third chapter, an algorithm is proposed to recognize the different phases of an intermittent process from a single trajectory (e.g. active/passive transport within cells, etc.).This test assumes that the process alternates between two distinct phases but does not require any hypothesis on the dynamics of each phase. Phase changes are captured by calculating quantities associated with the local convex hull (volume, diameter) evaluated along the trajectory. It is shown that this algorithm is effective in distinguishing states from a large class of intermittent processes (6 models tested). In addition, this algorithm is robust at high noise levels due to the integral nature of the convex hull. In the fourth chapter, a diffusion model in a heterogeneous medium where the diffusion coefficient evolves randomly is introduced and solved analytically. The probability density function of the displacements presents exponential tails and converges towards a Gaussian one at long time. This model generalizes previous approaches and thus makes it possible to study dynamic heterogeneities in detail. In particular, it is shown that these heterogeneities can drastically affect the accuracy of measurements made by time averages along a trajectory. In the last chapter, single-trajectory based methods are used for the analysis of two experiments. The first analysis carried out shows that the tracers exploring the cytoplasm show that the probability density of displacements has exponential tails over periods of time longer than the second. This behavior is independent of the presence of both microtubules and the actin network in the cell. The trajectories observed therefore show fluctuations in diffusivity, indicating for the first time the presence of dynamic heterogeneities within the cytoplasm. The second analysis deals with an experiment in which a set of 4mm diameter discs was vibrated vertically on a plate, inducing random motion of the disks. Through an in-depth statistical analysis, it is demonstrated that this experiment is close to a macroscopic realization of a Brownian movement. However, the probability densities of disks’ displacements show deviations from Gaussian which are interpreted as the result of inter-disk shocks. In the conclusion, the limits of the approaches adopted as well as the future research orientation opened by this thesis are discussed in detail

While biological scientists justify their research into human genetic engineering on the grounds of its 'therapeutic' potential, art - particularly the genre of science fiction (whose origins can be traced to Mary Shelly's famous tale, Frankenstein) - has acted on the social through culture to alert us to the perilous repercussions of usurping the role of the 'Creator of Life.' Now, at the dawn of the new millennium, the scientific project of mapping human DNA seemingly complete, the plight of the genetically-engineered human has become an intense focus of cultural critique. This doctoral project can be differentiated by its focus on aesthetic inquiry into the implications for expressions and representations of corporeality in relation to contemporary biomedical engineering. It has incorporated stem cell research that entails the manipulation and redirection of adult stem cell fates. The project takes the form of practical and theoretical investigations into cellular responses, and is framed within the matrices of both an innovative collaborative art/science research model and the evolving process of practice-led arts research. The exploratory research is discursively located within the system/environment paradigm. This allows for boundaries between the philosophic and scientific disciplines of: 1. epistemology, 2. ethics and aesthetics and 3. biology and technology to become nodes in a relational network associated with: 1. living and non-living, 2. sentience and consciousness and 3. conceptions of humanness. The cycle of practice-led research culminates in a body of work that began with a project entitled apoptosis, and developed into a three part quasi-scientific vital force series of installations. Each of these installations references nineteenth century scientific experimental processes employed in a search for the essential components of the human being itself. The series of interactive installations is discussed and the processual, pioneering research model, whereby the artist becomes the 'human guinea pig' is theoretically and visually articulated. In addition, time-lapse videomicrograph image data, collected through laboratory experiments is interpreted and recontextualised by the artist-researcher for representation in the vital force series of immersive installations. In these installations the implications of the issues raised by biomedical engineering processes are expressed as a very physical, tactile encounter. The aim is that these encounters engender a multi-sensory experience for the individual viewer, who, when immersed in the aesthetic, corporeal, interactive installations as a participant who completes the work through their engagement. Thus, the significance of the study lies in its re-privileging of the aesthetic experience of corporeality in the discourses surrounding genetic manipulation. This exegesis, like the doctoral project itself, is cyclical; following the inseparable processes of theory and practice through which the implications of the core research issues for a hybrid art/science practice are explored. It echoes the qualitative, post-positivist research methodology used throughout the project, which aimed to overcome the third person perspective through such strategies as interactivity and hybridity.

While biological scientists justify their research into human genetic engineering on the grounds of its 'therapeutic' potential, art - particularly the genre of science fiction (whose origins can be traced to Mary Shelly's famous tale, Frankenstein) - has acted on the social through culture to alert us to the perilous repercussions of usurping the role of the 'Creator of Life.' Now, at the dawn of the new millennium, the scientific project of mapping human DNA seemingly complete, the plight of the genetically-engineered human has become an intense focus of cultural critique. This doctoral project can be differentiated by its focus on aesthetic inquiry into the implications for expressions and representations of corporeality in relation to contemporary biomedical engineering. It has incorporated stem cell research that entails the manipulation and redirection of adult stem cell fates. The project takes the form of practical and theoretical investigations into cellular responses, and is framed within the matrices of both an innovative collaborative art/science research model and the evolving process of practice-led arts research. The exploratory research is discursively located within the system/environment paradigm. This allows for boundaries between the philosophic and scientific disciplines of: 1. epistemology, 2. ethics and aesthetics and 3. biology and technology to become nodes in a relational network associated with: 1. living and non-living, 2. sentience and consciousness and 3. conceptions of humanness. The cycle of practice-led research culminates in a body of work that began with a project entitled apoptosis, and developed into a three part quasi-scientific vital force series of installations. Each of these installations references nineteenth century scientific experimental processes employed in a search for the essential components of the human being itself. The series of interactive installations is discussed and the processual, pioneering research model, whereby the artist becomes the 'human guinea pig' is theoretically and visually articulated. In addition, time-lapse videomicrograph image data, collected through laboratory experiments is interpreted and recontextualised by the artist-researcher for representation in the vital force series of immersive installations. In these installations the implications of the issues raised by biomedical engineering processes are expressed as a very physical, tactile encounter. The aim is that these encounters engender a multi-sensory experience for the individual viewer, who, when immersed in the aesthetic, corporeal, interactive installations as a participant who completes the work through their engagement. Thus, the significance of the study lies in its re-privileging of the aesthetic experience of corporeality in the discourses surrounding genetic manipulation. This exegesis, like the doctoral project itself, is cyclical; following the inseparable processes of theory and practice through which the implications of the core research issues for a hybrid art/science practice are explored. It echoes the qualitative, post-positivist research methodology used throughout the project, which aimed to overcome the third person perspective through such strategies as interactivity and hybridity.
Thesis (Professional Doctorate)
Doctor of Visual Arts (DVA)
Queensland College of Art
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Free-living amebae are ubiquitous in the environment and occasionally invade and parasitize host tissues causing illness in humans. Despite possibly frequent exposure to these organisms, infection is rare and why some people, healthy or not, end up with illness and others do not is still unclear. Human infections are rare; when illness does occur, it is often fatal. Only two papers have examined data from the literature and cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and both were published over twenty years ago. The purpose of this study is to better document the epidemiology of Balamuthia and non-keratitis Acanthamoeba, give insight into trends of these infections over time, and contribute to the scientific and medical community by producing the only comprehensive review of all Balamuthia and non-keratitis Acanthamoeba cases in the United States from 1955 through 2009. This study also examines cases that have survived in an attempt to determine if there is evidence for the effectiveness of a particular treatment regimen. Only a small number of patients have survived these infections, so any evidence for a successful course of treatment could be crucial for future cases.

North Carolina has, in recent decades, experienced significant growth in its Latinx, and more particularly Mexican immigrant population. As a traditionally non-Latinx state, or a state without a long-standing, large Latinx population, many communities and healthcare and service providers within North Carolina still lack knowledge, resources, and skills needed to serve and support Latinx immigrant populations well. Guided by interpretive description, this qualitative study on Mexican immigrant women in Western North Carolina sought to gain knowledge and understanding of what it is like for them to live in a traditionally non-Latinx region and how immigration has affected their well-being. Asking about experiences in the context of immigration as a way of learning about well-being was inspired by scholars who have asserted immigration to be an important determinant of health and well-being and significant life experience. Individual interviews with 12 Mexican immigrant women generated five themes: 1) Difference and Disruption, 2) Losing to Gain, 3) Living with Risks and Limitations, 4) From Lost to Found, and 5) Resilience and Adaptation. Together these themes highlight sacrifices and struggles, strengths and resources, and gains and hope that have affected these women’s well-being and paint an overall picture of resilience and adaptation in spite of losses, difficulties, risks, and limitations incurred by immigrating. These findings argue for use of a strengths-based approach when interacting with Mexican immigrant women to improve healthcare and other services and promote their well-being and integration in their NC communities.

Includes bibliographical references.
The high levels of poverty among marginalised youth in South Africa are a source of grave concern. Studies have shown that one of the main contributions to this phenomenon is unemployment, largely resulting from low skills levels, lack of experience and minimal job opportunities. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a vital role in bridging this gap by providing Skills Training Programmes (STPs) to broaden youth’s access to employment, as well as to open up opportunities for entrepreneurship. However, a previous study conducted among marginalised youth in Cape Town showed that large numbers were unaware of these STPs. The question arose in the researcher’s mind as to what NGOs were doing to market their services. The purpose of the study, therefore, was to explore marketing tools and mechanisms that NGOs use to market their STPs to marginalised youth living in Cape Town.

The cellular response to radiation insult and studies have been carried out to investigate aspects of the cytoskeleton and the force response of the cell when probed by an AFM. Confirmed for the first time that there was a statistically significant difference for the PNT2 and PC3 cell lines in response to probing with the AFM tip, and that time was eliminated a possible influencing factor in the short term (1 hour) for the force response. Showed that the Hertz model is not sufficient for distances greater than 500nm due to the strain hardening effect for biological cells and that the biological cells non-linear force response becomes marked after the 500nm region. The orientation of actin was investigated and a bimodal variation was statistical significant, although the larger tendency was for a 90 degree separation there was indications that earlier theoretical work by Pollard, 2008 was present. The importance of the contact point when considering the cell lines PNT2, DU145 and PC3 and greater than 500nm indentation is shown and four different methods are tested and the most robust of these chosen as the method for the distance and cell lines involved. That being ‘line projection’ method created by the author. A method that normalises the data for AFM force curves is presented, the method minimises the contact point error at the same time and therefore provides biologists with a way to test cell lines using standard normal population tests.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Physiotherapy)
People living with the HIV infection (PLWHI) can now live longer due to the availability and effective use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Eastern and Southern Africa remains the region affected by HIV. Rwanda is one the Eastern Africa that has achieved high rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage, accounting 164,262 (78%) of all PLWHI in 2016. However, both HIV infection and continued use of life-long cART medications have been associated with a constellation of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Additionally, HIVinfected (HIV+) persons are at increased risk of NCDs, especially cardiometabolic diseases (CMD), compared to HIV-uninfected (HIV-) counterparts. People living with HIV infection are at an increased risk for NCDs due to their HIV status and their resultant reduced immunity, the use of some cART, and contextual and sociodemographic factors. Fortunately, lifestyle factors including regular physical activity participation, diet modification, and smoking cessation could play a major role in preventing CMD, and in improving life expectancy for HIV+ individuals. However, these interventions are not always integrated in routine African clinical settings, particularly in Rwanda. Currently, health-related benefits of people living with HIV infection on established ART, has shifted from survival to a health-related quality of life outcome (HRQOL).