Dissertations / Theses: 'Responsos'

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Klein, Entink Rinke. "Statistical models for responses and response times." Enschede : University of Twente [Host], 2009. http://doc.utwente.nl/60452.

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Järvinen, Jaakko Lauri Paivio. "Inverted responses and response recovery in amphibian rod photoreceptors." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.615722.

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Villanova, Laura. "Response surface optimization for high dimensional systems with multiple responses." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Padova, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3421551.

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This thesis is about the optimization of physical systems (or processes) characterized by a high number of input variables (e.g., operations, machines, methods, people, and materials) and multiple responses (output characteristics). These systems are of interest because they are common scenarios in real-world studies and they present many challenges for practitioners in a wide range of applicative fields (e.g., science, engineering). The first objective of the study was to develop a model-based approach to support the practitioners in planning the experiments and optimizing the system responses. Of interest was the creation of a methodology capable of providing a feedback to the practitioner while taking into account his/her point of view. The second objective was to identify a procedure to select the most promising model, to be combined with the model-based approach, on the basis of the features of the applicative problem of interest. To cope with the first objective, experimental design, modeling and optimization techniques have been combined in a sequential procedure that interacts with the practitioner at each stage. The developed approach has roots in nonparametric and semiparametric response surface ethodology (NPRSM), design and analysis of computer experiments (DACE), multi-objective optimization and swarm intelligence computation. It consists of augmenting an initial experimental design (set of experiments) by sequentially identifying additional design points (experiments) with expected improved performance. The identification of new experimental points is guided by a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm that minimizes a distance-based function. In particular, the distance between the measured response values and a target is minimized. The target is composed of ideal values of the responses and is selected using a multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) model, which is updated as soon as new experiments are implemented and the corresponding response values are measured. The developed approach resulted in a sequential procedure named Evolutionary Model-based Multiresponse Approach (EMMA). When tested on a set of benchmark functions, EMMA was shown to overcome the potential problem of premature convergence to a local optimum and to correctly identify the true global optimum. Furthermore, EMMA is distribution-free and it allows the automatic selection of the target, in contrast to the trial-and-error procedures usually employed for this purpose. Finally, EMMA was applied to a real-world chemical problem devoted to the functionalization of a substrate for possible biomedical studies. With respect to the method typically employed by the scientists, improvements of the responses of up to 380% were detected. The proposed approach was thus shown to hold much promise for the optimization of multiresponse high dimensional systems. Moreover, EMMA turned out to be a valuable methodology for industrial research. Indeed, by means of a preliminary simulation study, it gave an initial estimate of the number of experiments and time necessary to achieve a specific goal, thus providing an indication of the budget required for the research. To deal with the second objective of the research, a meta-learning approach for model selection was adopted. Interest in model selection strategies arose from questions such as ‘Is MARS the best model we could have used?’ and ‘Given an applicative problem, how can we select the most promising modeling technique to be combined with EMMA?’. Indeed, it is now generally accepted that no single model can outperform some other models over all possible regression problems. Furthermore, the model performance ‘... may depend on the detailed nature of the problem at hand in terms of the number of observations, the number of response variables, their correlation structure, signal-to-noise ratio, collinearity of the predictor variables, etc.’ (Breiman & Friedman 1997). The meta-learning approach was adopted to select the most promising model on the basis of measurable characteristics of the investigated problem. The basic idea was to study a set of multiresponse regression models and evaluate their performance on a broad class of problems, that were characterized by various degrees of complexity. By matching the problem characteristics and the models’ performance, the aim was to discover the conditions under which a model outperforms others as well as to acquire some rules to be used as a guidance when faced with a new application. The procedures to simulate the datasets were developed, the metrics to measure the problems characteristics were identified, and the R code to evaluate the models’ performances was generated. The foundations for a large computational study was therefore established. Implementation of such study is part of ongoing research, and future works will aim to examine the obtained empirical rules from a theoretical perspective with a view to confirm their validity, as well as generating insights into each model’s behaviour. La tesi riguarda l’ottimizzazione di sistemi (o processi) fisici caratterizzati da un elevato numero di variabili in ingresso (operazioni, macchine, metodi, persone, materiali) e da più variabili risposta, impiegate per misurare le proprietà del prodotto finale. Questa tipologia di sistemi è molto frequente in un ampio spettro di campi applicativi, che spaziano dalla scienza all’ingegneria, e pone lo sperimentatore di fronte a delle problematiche di non sempre facile risoluzione. Il primo obiettivo di questo studio era di sviluppare un approcio, basato su un modello statistico, che fosse in grado di supportare lo sperimentatore nella pianificazione degli esperimenti e nell’ottimizzazione delle risposte del sistema. Fondamentale era lo sviluppo di una procedura capace di tenere in considerazione il punto di vista dello sperimentatore e fornirgli continuamente un feedback. Il secondo obiettivo della ricerca era l’identificazione di un metodo volto a selezionare il miglior modello statistico, da integrare all’approcio proposto, sulla base delle caratteristiche del problema applicativo investigato. Il primo obiettivo ha portato allo sviluppo di una procedura sequenziale che impiega tecniche di disegno sperimentale, modellazione e ottimizzazione, e che interagisce, ad ogni passo, con lo sperimentatore. La metodologia proposta è stata denominata EMMA e coinvolge varie aree di ricerca scientifica e computazionale, quali superfici di risposta nonparametriche e semiparametriche, disegno e analisi di esperimenti a computer, ottimizzazione multiobiettivo e computazione ispirata al comportamento degli sciami in natura. EMMA prevede l’identificazione di un disegno sperimentale (insieme di esperimenti) che viene successivamente integrato con dei punti sperimentali (esperimenti), identificati in modo sequentiale. Il processo di identificazione dei nuovi punti sperimentali è guidato da un algoritmo di ottimizzazione particle swarm, che minimizza la distanza fra i valori di risposta osservati e un target. Il target è un insieme di valori ottimali, uno per ogni risposta, che vengono selezionati usando un modello di regressione multivariata basato su spline (MARS). Tale target viene aggiornato non appena i nuovi esperimenti vengono implementati e le corrispondenti risposte vengono misurate. Quando testato su un insieme di funzioni standard, EMMA ha dimostrato di poter superare il potenziale problema di convergenza prematura verso un ottimo locale e di poter identificare correttamente il vero ottimo globale. Inoltre, EMMA non richiede nessuna assunzione sulla distribuzione dei dati e, diversamente da altre procedure, permette di selezionare automaticamente il target. Infine, EMMA è stata applicata ad un problema chimico volto alla funzionalizzazione di un substrato per possibili applicazioni biomediche. Rispetto al metodo generalmente usato dagli scienziati, EMMA ha permesso di migliorare le risposte del sistema di vari punti percentuali, e incrementi fino al 380% sono stati osservati. L’approccio proposto costituisce pertanto un metodologia con elevate potenzialità per l’ottimizzazione di sistemi multirisposta ad alta dimensionalità. Inoltre, grazie a degli studi di simulazione, EMMA permette di ottenere una stima iniziale del numero di esperimenti e del tempo necessario per raggiungere il miglioramento desiderato. Di conseguenza, potendo fornire un’indicazione del budget richiesto per lo studio di interesse, la metodologia risulta essere di interesse specialmente nel settore della ricerca industriale. Il secondo obiettivo ha portato allo sviluppo di un approcio di meta-apprendimento per la selezione del modello. L’interesse nella selezione del modello deriva da domande quali ‘E’ MARS il miglior modello che avremmo potuto usare?’ e ‘Dato un problema applicativo, come possiamo selezionare la tecnica di modellazione più promettente da combinare con EMMA?’. Infatti, `e ormai riconosciuto che non esiste un modello le cui performance sono migliori, rispetto ad altre tecniche di modellazione, per tutti i possibili problemi di regressione. Inoltre, le performance di un modello ‘... possono dipendere dalla natura del problema investigato in termini di numero di osservazioni, numero di variabili risposta, struttura di correlazione delle variabili, rapporto segnale-rumore, grado di collinearity dei predittori, etc.’ (Breiman & Friedman 1997). L’approcio di meta-apprendimento è stato adottato per identificare il modello statistico più promettente, sulla base delle caratteristiche del problema investigato. L’idea consisteva nello studiare un insieme di modelli di regressione multirisposta e valutare la loro performance su un’ampia classe di problemi caratterizzati da diversi gradi di complessità. Studiando la relazione fra le caratteristiche del problema e la performance dei modelli, lo scopo è di scoprire sotto quali condizioni un modello è migliore di altri e simultaneamente acquisire alcune regole da poter usare come linee guida nello studio di nuove applicazioni. A tale scopo sono state sviluppate le procedure per simulare i dati, le metriche per misurare le caratteristiche dei problemi, e il codice R necessario per la valutazione delle performance dei modelli. Questo ha permesso di gettare le fondamenta di un ampio studio di simulazione, la cui implementazione fa parte della ricerca attualmente in corso. Lo scopo della ricerca futura è di esaminare, da un punto di vista teorico, le regole empiriche ottenute in modo da poterne confermare la validità, oltre che favorire una migliore comprensione del comportamento delle tecniche di modellazione investigate.

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Buske-Kirschbaum, Angelika. "Cortisol Responses to Stress in Allergic Children: Interaction with the Immune Response." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2014. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-135731.

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Allergic manifestations are increasingly common in infants and children. Accumulating evidence suggests that the ‘epidemic’ increase of childhood allergy may be associated with environmental factors such as stress. Although the impact of stress on the manifestation and exacerbation of allergy has been demonstrated, the underlying mechanisms of stress-induced exacerbation are still obscure. A growing number of studies have suggested an altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function to stress in allergic children. It is speculated that a dysfunctional HPA axis in response to stress may facilitate and/or consolidate immunological aberrations and thus, may increase the risk for allergic sensitization and exacerbation especially under stressful conditions. In the present review the potential impact of a hyporesponsive as well as a hyperresponsive HPA axis on the onset and chronification of childhood allergy is summarized. Moreover, potential factors that may contribute to the development of an aberrant HPA axis responsiveness in allergy are discussed Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich

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Rodgers, Angela. "Macrophage responses and their involvement in generating an immune response against tuberculosis." Thesis, St George's, University of London, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.406802.

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Buske-Kirschbaum, Angelika. "Cortisol Responses to Stress in Allergic Children: Interaction with the Immune Response." Karger, 2009. https://tud.qucosa.de/id/qucosa%3A27671.

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Allergic manifestations are increasingly common in infants and children. Accumulating evidence suggests that the ‘epidemic’ increase of childhood allergy may be associated with environmental factors such as stress. Although the impact of stress on the manifestation and exacerbation of allergy has been demonstrated, the underlying mechanisms of stress-induced exacerbation are still obscure. A growing number of studies have suggested an altered hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function to stress in allergic children. It is speculated that a dysfunctional HPA axis in response to stress may facilitate and/or consolidate immunological aberrations and thus, may increase the risk for allergic sensitization and exacerbation especially under stressful conditions. In the present review the potential impact of a hyporesponsive as well as a hyperresponsive HPA axis on the onset and chronification of childhood allergy is summarized. Moreover, potential factors that may contribute to the development of an aberrant HPA axis responsiveness in allergy are discussed. Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

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Ghaffari, Emma Louise Marie. "Early growth response genes -2 and -3 are essential for optimal immune responses." Thesis, Brunel University, 2013. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/8134.

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Early Growth Response Genes (EGR) is a family of four transcription factors containing a unique zinc finger domain. EGR-2 and EGR-3 are important for hindbrain development and myelination. These transcription factors are also necessary for lymphocyte function however, the mechanisms are still unclear. Previous findings have shown that EGR-2cKO mice develop lupus-like autoimmune disease with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines despite showing normal T and B cell proliferation after mitogenic stimulation. Therefore we established the CD2-EGR-2-/-EGR-3-/- mouse model to explore the phenotype, susceptibility to autoimmune disease and relevant lymphocyte function. We discovered that CD2-EGR-2-/-EGR-3-/- mice developed severe systemic autoimmune disease and expressed high levels of inflammatory cytokines. More importantly we discovered a novel finding that CD2-EGR-2-/-EGR-3-/- T and B cells had impaired cell proliferation after mitogenic stimulation. Further investigations revealed that the molecular mechanism defected in the T cell receptor signalling pathway is due to a dysfunction in Activator Protein-1 (AP-1). AP-1 is a heterodimeric protein composed of AP-1 family members including Jun, Atf and Fos. Our data shows that EGR-2 and EGR-3 directly bind with the Atf family member Batf, which prevents Batf’s inhibitory function on AP-1 activation. This research demonstrates that EGR-2 and EGR-3 intrinsically regulate chronic inflammation and also positively regulate antigen receptor activation. In conclusion EGR-2 and EGR-3 are essential for providing optimal immune responses, whilst limiting inflammatory immunopathology. We propose that this new model could be used for studying autoimmune disease.

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Ulitzsch, Esther [Verfasser]. "Using Response Times for Modeling Missing Responses in Large-Scale Assessments / Esther Ulitzsch." Berlin : Freie Universität Berlin, 2020. http://d-nb.info/1216105030/34.

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Shamji, Mohamed Hussein. "Grass pollen immunotherapy : Immunoreactive and functional antibody responses and their relationship to clinical response." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.526400.

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Sampaio, Mariana Neiva. "The role of personality in fish response to Carbamazepine: from biochemical responses to learning." Master's thesis, Universidade de Aveiro, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10773/22022.

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Mestrado em Biologia Molecular e Celular A personalidade animal está ligada aos processos fisiológicos e bioquímicos do organismo. É definida como um conjunto individual de padrões comportamentais que se mantêm ao longo de um determinado período de vida. Estudos recentes mostraram a capacidade de muitos compostos, incluindo fármacos, interferirem no comportamento e em traços da personalidade. No entanto, o conhecimento sobre este fenómeno é ainda limitado. Sabendo-se que os fármacos podem interferir na personalidade, coloca-se a questão: qual será o papel da personalidade no efeito dos fármacos? Neste trabalho foi utilizado o peixe zebra (Danio rerio) como modelo biológico. Os organismos foram avaliados segundo parâmetros comportamentais e classificados e separados em dois grupos (bold e shy), com base no seu estilo de coping face a um novo ambiente. Como fármaco foi selecionada a carbamazepina, medicamento com elevada taxa de prescrição, detetado no ambiente e com uma reduzida taxa de degradação. Os organismos com os dois estilos de coping foram submetidos durante 96h a diferentes concentrações de carbamazepina (0.0044, 0.067, 1 e 15 mg/L). O estudo avaliou parâmetros comportamentais (e.g., distância total nadada e tigmotaxia) face a estímulos de luz (ciclos de luz e escuro) e biomarcadores bioquímicos. A aprendizagem e memória foram igualmente avaliadas com recurso a medições comportamentais diárias. Os dados obtidos revelaram diferenças nas respostas dos dois grupos de peixes, havendo um maior nível de atividade nos peixes reativos. As respostas aos períodos de luz/escuro foram diferenciadas. No escuro, a distância total nadada e a percentagem de distância nadada na área de fora são mais elevadas e a percentagem de tempo passado na área de fora foi menor. A carbamazepina por si só não influenciou as respostas analisadas. No entanto, as respostas dos peixes de diferentes personalidades dependeram das concentrações de carbamazepina a que estiveram expostos e do estímulo luz/escuro aplicado. Dos biomarcadores bioquímicos avaliados, LPO (peroxidação lipídica) variou de acordo com a personalidade, tendo os peixes proativos níveis mais elevados, e GST (glutationa-s-transferase) foi significativamente inibida nos peixes reativos pela maior concentração de carbamazepina. De uma forma geral os resultados mostram que estilos de coping influenciam a resposta a fármacos. Animal personality is linked to physiological and biochemical processes of the organism. It is defined as individual behavioural patterns that are constant throughout a certain phase of life. Recent studies have shown compounds capacity, including pharmaceuticals, to interfere with behaviour and personality traits. However, knowledge about this phenomenon is still limited. Knowing that pharmaceuticals can interfere with personality, one question arises: what may be personality’s role on pharmaceutical’s effects? In this experiment, zebrafish (Danio rerio) was chosen as biological model. Individuals were evaluated by behavioural patterns and classified and separated in two groups (bold and shy) based on their stress coping strategy as a reaction to a novel environment. Carbamazepine was selected as pharmaceutical to study, due to its high prescription rate, detection in the environment and reduced degradation rate. Individuals with both coping styles were exposed for 96h to different concentrations of carbamazepine (0.0044, 0.067, 1 e 15 mg/L). The experiment evaluated behavioural parameters (e.g., total distance swam and thigmotaxis) in response to light stimuli (light and dark cycles) and biochemical biomarkers. Learning and memory were also evaluated resorting to daily behavioural measures. Data obtained revealed differences in responses between both groups of individuals. Behavioural data showed a higher activity level in shy fish. Responses to light and dark were also differentiated. In darkness, total distance swam and percentage of distance swam in the outside area increased comparing to light periods, whilst percentage of time spent in the outside area decreased. Carbamazepine alone did not influence responses analysed. However, responses from bold and shy fish depended on the concentration of carbamazepine and stimulus light/dark. From the biochemical biomarkers assessed, LPO (lipid peroxidation) varied according to personality, with bold fish having higher levels, and GST’s (glutathione-s-transferase) levels were significantly inhibited in shy fish exposed to the highest concentration of carbamazepine. Overall, results showed that coping styles influence response to pharmaceuticals.

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Omodho, Becky. "Early growth response gene (Egr) 2 and 3 control inflammatory responses of tolerant T cells." Thesis, Brunel University, 2016. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/13516.

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This study investigated the role of tolerance induction in an inflammatory setting in regard to the early growth response genes Egr2 and Egr3. T cells robustly respond to pathogenic antigens during infection, but are tolerant to stimulation by self-antigens. The intrinsic mechanisms for self-tolerance in the periphery are still not clear. Egr2 and 3 are induced in tolerant T cells in response to antigen stimulation by NFAT-medicated tolerant signalling; however, their function in tolerant T cells is still unknown. The study demonstrated that Egr2 and 3, induced in tolerant T cells, are not directly involved in defective proliferation and IL-2 production, the hallmarks of T cell tolerance. However, they are essential for preventing inflammatory response of tolerant T cells. In the absence of Egr2 and 3, tolerant T cells show impaired proliferation and production of IL-2, but produce high levels of IFN-γ, a key inflammatory cytokine. This phenotype resembles CD4 T cells from autoimmune diseases such as lupus which show poor proliferative response, but hyper-inflammation. Our study demonstrated, for the first time, a distinctive mechanism to control inflammation from proliferative tolerance regulated by Egr2 and 3, which may be an important mechanism for the control of autoimmune diseases.

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Lee, Katherine JS. "Lowering the Number of False Positive Responses to Electric Pulp Tests by Qualifying Patient Response." VCU Scholars Compass, 2015. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3712.

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The electric pulp test (EPT) has been shown to be a valuable tool in assessing pulp vitality. One of its drawbacks, however, is its high number of false positives. The purpose of this study was to determine if qualifying the type of sensation elicited by the test could lower the percentage of false positive responses. A retrospective chart review of an eleven-month period was conducted, examining all patients with necrotic teeth tested with the EPT. Of 189 teeth, when the patient responded to EPT at first sensation 23.3% of teeth were incorrectly identified as vital. When the patient was asked to respond only if they felt an uncomfortable sensation, the false positive rate was lowered to 8.5%, a statistically significant difference. No association was found between the teeth reclassified as necrotic and age, gender, type of tooth, or number of canals.

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Ohnishi, Yusuke. "Temporal impulse response function of the visual system estimated from ocular following responses in humans." 京都大学 (Kyoto University), 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/225484.

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Field, Douglas Preston. "The Physiological Control of Verbal Behavior." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1992. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500887/.

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The current study sought to investigate whether physiological responses, such as the electrodermographic response (EDG) and/or the frontalis muscle electrical potential (EMG) could be developed as a source of control over verbal responses. Discrimination training procedures using points exchangeable for money were employed to condition verbal responses occasioned by minute interoceptive events with 2 adult human subjects. Specific verbal responses were reinforced in the presence of changes in EDG with Sl and EDG and EMG with S2. Stimulus control over differentiated verbal responses was demonstrated with both subjects. The results suggest that minute interoceptive events can enter into controlling relations with verbal responses and that this control is partially a function of the size or range of physiological responses as well as conditioning history.

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Kamp, Siri-Maria. "The Psychophysiology of Novelty Processing: Do Brain Responses to Deviance Predict Recall, Recognition and Response Time?" Scholar Commons, 2013. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/4703.

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Events that violate expectations are biologically significant and accordingly elicit various physiological responses. We investigated the functional relationship between three of these responses: the P300, the Novelty P3 and the pupil dilation response (PDR), with a particular focus on their co-variance with reaction time and measures of subsequent memory. In a modified Novelty P3 oddball paradigm, participants semantically categorized a sequence of stimuli including (1) words of a frequent category, (2) words of an infrequent category (14% of the trials) and (3) pictures of the frequent category (14% of the trials). The Novelty P3 oddball task was followed by a recall- and a recognition test. Larger amplitudes of the P300, identified by a spatial principal component analysis (PCA), were associated with enhanced subsequent recall as well as faster reaction times during the recognition test, suggesting a close relationship between the cognitive process indexed by the P300 and memory encoding. The PDR was larger for infrequents (which required a response switch) than both frequents and pictures (which did not require a switch). Furthermore, its latency was correlated with reaction time on the same trial and with reaction time on the immediately following trial. There was only weak evidence for a correlation with subsequent memory, suggesting that the cognitive process associated with the PDR might be a direct link in the stimulus-response stream. Larger Novelty P3 amplitudes were associated with both faster reaction times on the same trial and stronger memory traces, suggesting that its amplitude might index resource allocation. These findings suggest that each of the physiological responses carries a distinct functional significance in detecting, processing, or responding to novel events, and we discuss the findings in the light of the prevalent theories of the functional significance of each response.

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Davies, Matthew. "Investigation of the unfolded protein response and other stress-related responses in distinct models of neurodegeneration." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2016. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/390653/.

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There is no cure for chronic neurodegenerative diseases and disease-modifying therapies are limited. In order to develop successful disease-modifying therapies the molecules and pathways that underpin early stages of disease, such as synapse loss, need to be better defined. Three distinct in vivo mouse models of neurodegeneration have been used to investigate molecular stress response molecules and pathways. These models are the ME7 prion model, the cysteine string protein alpha (CSP?) -/- model and a kainic acid model of excitotoxicity. In all cases hippocampal tissue from mice was used to investigate the neuropathology and associated stress-related pathways. The unfolded protein response (UPR) and other stress-related response molecules: immediate early genes (ATF3, c-Jun and c-Fos), activity-induced immediate early genes (Arc and Homer1a) and a cellular physiological and environmental damage stress sensor (GADD45?) were investigated. Biochemical and immunohistochemistry analysis revealed no evidence for a robust and classic UPR in any of the three models despite neuropathological changes associated with these distinct insults being evident. However, other stress-related response molecules were induced in these models and the induction of some of these occurred at the same time/prior to synapse loss suggesting that these are early responses and potential therapeutic targets for modifying neurodegenerative disease. Tissue analysis is confounded by cellular heterogeneity. To investigate discrete cell specific events laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to isolate the cell bodies of dysfunctional CA3 pyramidal neurons across key stages of ME7 prion disease. Optimisation of LCM enabled enrichment of CA3 pyramidal neurons and targeted analysis of UPR molecules. mRNA analysis failed to show strong evidence for a robust induction of the UPR in these vulnerable CA3 pyramidal neurons. Total RNA has also been used for RNA sequencing to analyse differentially expressed genes and molecular pathways activated during prion disease progression. The aim of this targeted approach will be to resolve molecular targets and pathways which might mitigate the progression of chronic neurodegenerative diseases.

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Prinsloo, Johan Andries. "Ecophysiological responses of citrus trees and sugar accumulation of fruit in response to altered plant water relations." Thesis, Link to online version, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10019/463.

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Raymond, Meera V. "Early growth response gene-2 controls inflammatory responses of CD4+ T cells by negatively regulating Th17 differentiation." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2015. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8953.

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CD4+ T cells play a central role in controlling the adaptive immune response by secreting cytokines to control the responses of different lymphocytes. Naïve CD4+ T cells differentiate into at least four subsets, Th1, Th2, Th17, and inducible regulatory T cells under antigen and corresponding cytokine microenvironment during an immune response. Therefore, each subset has unique functions for pathogen elimination. The differentiation of these subsets is induced in response to conditioned cytokine stimulation, which induces specific master regulator transcription factors. Multiple other transcription factors, both subset specific and shared, are also involved in promoting subset differentiation. Previously, our group has discovered that early growth response gene-2 (Egr-2) is important for the maintenance of T cell homeostasis and controls the development of autoimmune disease. However, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In this study, using Egr-2 conditional knockout mice, a novel mechanism of Egr-2 in the control of Th17 differentiation has been discovered. Egr-2 is induced by TGFβ and IL-6 in naïve CD4+ T cells. The induced Egr-2 negatively regulates the expression of IL-17, the signature cytokine for Th17. In contrast, Egr-2 has less effect on the expression of IL-2 or IFN-γ in effector T cells. In the absence of Egr-2, CD4+ T cells produce high levels of Th17 cytokines. Deletion of Egr-2 in T cells renders mice susceptible to EAE induction; a model for Th17 mediated autoimmune diseases. T cells lacking Egr-2 show increased propensity for Th17, but not Th1 or Th2, differentiation in vitro. The key mechanism of Egr-2 in regulation of Th17 differentiation is to inhibit the function of Batf for transactivation of IL-17 expression and promotion of Th17 differentiation. Egr-2 interacts with Batf in CD4+ T cells and suppresses its interaction with DNA sequences derived from the IL-17 promoter, while the activation of STAT3 and expression of RORγt is unchanged in Th17 cells in the absence of Egr-2. Thus, Egr- 14 2 plays an important role to intrinsically control Th17 differentiation. We also found that CD4+ T cells from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have reduced expression of Egr-2 and increased expression of IL-17 following stimulation with anti-CD3 in vitro. Collectively, our results demonstrate that Egr-2 is an intrinsic regulator that controls Th17 differentiation by inhibiting Batf activation which may be important for the control of inflammatory autoimmune diseases.

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Li, Caihong Rosina. "ASSESSING THE MODEL FIT OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL ITEM RESPONSE THEORY MODELS WITH POLYTOMOUS RESPONSES USING LIMITED-INFORMATION STATISTICS." UKnowledge, 2019. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/edsc_etds/45.

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Under item response theory, three types of limited information goodness-of-fit test statistics – M2, Mord, and C2 – have been proposed to assess model-data fit when data are sparse. However, the evaluation of the performance of these GOF statistics under multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) models with polytomous data is limited. The current study showed that M2 and C2 were well-calibrated under true model conditions and were powerful under misspecified model conditions. Mord were not well-calibrated when the number of response categories was more than three. RMSEA2 and RMSEAC2 are good tools to evaluate approximate fit. The second study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Religious Commitment Inventory-10 (RCI-10; Worthington et al., 2003) within the IRT framework and estimate C2 and its RMSEA to assess global model-fit. Results showed that the RCI-10 was best represented by a bifactor model. The scores from the RCI-10 could be scored as unidimensional notwithstanding the presence of multidimensionality. Two-factor correlational solution should not be used. Study two also showed that religious commitment is a risk factor of intimate partner violence, whereas spirituality was a protecting factor from the violence. More alcohol was related with more abusive behaviors. Implications of the two studies were discussed.

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Zhu, Yaohong. "Early inflammatory response in periparturient sows to experimentally induced Escherichia coli mastitis : with special reference to cytokine responses /." Uppsala : Dept. of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2007. http://epsilon.slu.se/200798.pdf.

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Seybert, Jacob. "A New Item Response Theory Model for Estimating Person Ability and Item Parameters for Multidimensional Rank Order Responses." Scholar Commons, 2013. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/4942.

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The assessment of noncognitive constructs poses a number of challenges that set it apart from traditional cognitive ability measurement. Of particular concern is the influence of response biases and response styles that can influence the accuracy of scale scores. One strategy to address these concerns is to use alternative item presentation formats (such as multidimensional forced choice (MFC) pairs, triads, and tetrads) that may provide resistance to such biases. A variety of strategies for constructing and scoring these forced choice measured have been proposed, though they often require large sample sizes, are limited in the way that statements can vary in location, and (in some cases) require a separate precalibration phase prior to the scoring of forced-choice responses. This dissertation introduces new item response theory models for estimating item and person parameters from rank-order responses indicating preferences among two or more alternatives representing, for example, different personality dimensions. Parameters for this new model, called the Hyperbolic Cosine Model for Rank order responses (HCM-RANK), can be estimated using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods that allow for the simultaneous evaluation of item properties and person scores. The efficacy of the MCMC parameter estimation procedures for these new models was examined via three studies. Study 1 was a Monte Carlo simulation examining the efficacy of parameter recovery across levels of sample size, dimensionality, and approaches to item calibration and scoring. It was found that estimation accuracy improves with sample size, and trait scores and location parameters can be estimated reasonably well in small samples. Study 2 was a simulation examining the robustness of trait estimation to error introduced by substituting subject matter expert (SME) estimates of statement location for MCMC item parameter estimates and true item parameters. Only small decreases in accuracy relative to the true parameters were observed, suggesting that using SME ratings of statement location for scoring might be a viable short-term way of expediting MFC test deployment in field settings. Study 3 was included primarily to illustrate the use of the newly developed IRT models and estimation methods with real data. An empirical investigation comparing validities of personality measures using different item formats yielded mixed results and raised questions about multidimensional test construction practices that will be explored in future research. The presentation concludes with a discussion of MFC methods and potential applications in educational and workforce contexts.

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Uys, Aletta Sophia. "Comparing autonomic and cardiovascular responses in African and Caucasian men : the SABPA study / Aletta Sophia Uys." Thesis, North-West University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10394/9851.

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Motivation Hypertension is a pertinent health problem for urban black African men (hereafter referred to as African). Sympathetic hyperactivity and a dominant α-adrenergic response pattern have both been implicated as contributing factors to their poor cardiovascular health. In addition to the deleterious effect of neurogenic hypertension on target organs, sympathetic hyperactivity may promote the accelerated progression of left ventricular hypertrophy and structural vascular disease. Aim The overarching aim of this study is to scrutinize autonomic control of the cardiovascular system in a cohort of urban African and Caucasian men during a mental challenge. Associations were investigated between potential sympatho-vagal imbalance, blood pressure and target organ damage markers to determine cardiovascular risk in ethnic male groups. Methodology The SABPA (Sympathetic activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans) study involved the participation of 200 male teachers (99 African and 101 Caucasian) in the Kenneth Kaunda Education District of the North-West Province, South Africa. Of the participant group, HIV-infected (13 African) and clinically confirmed diabetics (1 Caucasian and 6 African men) were excluded from further analyses. Stratification was based on ethnicity and further as indicated through statistical interaction effects. Cardiovascular and autonomic responses were assessed during rest and on stressor exposure (cold pressor test and Stroop colour-word conflict test). Autonomic measures included baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG) and nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) levels. Cardiovascular variables consisted of blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral resistance, heart rate, arterial compliance and ST-segment from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. Markers of target organ damage included the Cornell product (indication of left ventricular hypertrophy) and carotid intima-media thickness as indication of structural vascular disease. Means and proportions were compared by means of standard t-test and Chi-square test, respectively. Significant differences of mean cardiovascular and autonomic measures between ethnic male groups were also determined through analysis of covariance. Uni- and multivariate regression analyses were employed to demonstrate associations between target organ damage, cardiovascular and autonomic markers. Results and conclusion of each manuscript To assess autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular function as well as target organ damage, we clearly focussed on responses where our participants were challenged. Markers of autonomic responses assessed were baroreceptor sensitivity, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and nitric oxide metabolites.  The first manuscript (Chapter 2) focused on left ventricular hypertrophy as marker of target organ damage, blood pressure and baroreceptor sensitivity as marker of autonomic function. The objective was to determine whether BRS was significantly lower in African men than in the Caucasian men. Furthermore, the possible association between attenuation of BRS and increased levels of ambulatory blood pressure as well as left ventricular hypertrophy was investigated in these population groups. Results revealed that the African men had significantly lower BRS stress responses. This attenuated BRS profile was coupled with dominant α-adrenergic response patterns, which was associated with an elevation of ambulatory blood pressure. BRS attenuation (rest and stress response) was not associated with left ventricular hypertrophy. It was concluded that lower BRS, especially during stress, may pose a significant health threat for urban African men regarding the development or promotion of α-adrenergic-driven hypertension and higher cardiovascular disease risk.  The aim of the second sub-study (Chapter 3) was to investigate possible associations between structural vascular disease (carotid intima-media thickness as marker), autonomic function (MHPG as marker) and nocturnal blood pressure in the African and Caucasian men. Results showed a higher prevalence of nocturnal hypertension in the African men, with night-time blood pressure significantly higher compared to the Caucasian men. In the African and Caucasian men, carotid intima-media thickness was linearly predicted by nocturnal systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively. In conclusion, no associations were demonstrated between MHPG and carotid intimamedia thickness or between MHPG and nocturnal blood pressure. Elevated nocturnal blood pressure evidently seems to promote structural vascular disease in this cohort of urban African and Caucasian men.  The aim of the third manuscript presented in Chapter 4, was to investigate bioavailability of NO during mental challenge (autonomic function marker) and the possible association with structural vascular disease (carotid intima-media thickness as marker). In the African men, an attenuated NOx response was demonstrated to the Stroop colour-word conflict test. After stratification into high and low NOx response groups, in the African men with a low NOx response enhanced α-adrenergic with significant STsegment depression responses was demonstrated indicating reduced myocardial oxygen supply during mental stressor exposure. Only in the African men, a ST-segment depression was significantly associated with structural vascular disease. It was concluded that the African men demonstrated a vulnerable cardiovascular profile. In this cohort of African men, the significant association between structural vascular disease and myocardial ischemia may particularly indicate a possible higher risk for future cardiovascular events. General conclusion Through the assessment of autonomic and cardiovascular responses a possible higher cardiovascular risk was demonstrated in the African men. In this cohort sympathetic hyperactivity was evident, coupled with dominant vascular response patterns and reduced myocardial oxygen supply during mental stress exposure. Based on these findings, this population group’s risk for accelerated target organ damage, as well as for future cardiovascular events, appear significantly higher than those of the Caucasian male cohort. Thesis (PhD (Physiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

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Masseoud, Feda N. "Estrogen-Induced Modulation of Innate and Adaptive Immune Function." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2009. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/biology_diss/62.

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Host defense against infection and disease relies on the reciprocal communication between the immune and neuroendocrine systems where sex hormones exert negative and positive feedback actions on immune functions. Indeed, sex hormones have been implicated in gender dimorphic immune response and in the potentiation of immune-related disorders. The female hormone estrogen plays a role as an immunomodulator and may exert immunosuppressive and immunostimulatory effects. Though many studies focus on estrogen’s role in immunity within the female reproductive tract and autoimmunity, the modulatory effects of estrogen on vaccine responses are largely unexplored. The insufficient efficacy of some vaccines in certain target populations, as for example the elderly population, is well recognized. Hormones fluctuate throughout an individual’s life, and females in particular undergo several necessary reproductive (pregnancy and menopause) and lifestyle (oral contraceptive use) changes which involve sex hormones. Vaccine efficacy might be influenced by endogenous estrogen levels or by exogenous estrogen administration. Therefore, in the pursuit of improved vaccine efficacy, it is necessary to consider such hormonal factors and their contribution to immune status. We have studied estrogen’s role in modulation of vaccine responses using a mouse ovariectomy model where exogenous estrogen delivery can be controlled. Our studies included two different types of vaccines, a bacterial toxoid formulation and a bacterial secreted protein formulation. Results from these studies indicate that estrogen enhances vaccine-specific antibody production by likely supporting a general TH2 pathway and also modulates expression of genes encoding molecules critical in innate immune signaling and required for development of proper adaptive immune responses and antigen clearance through antibody-mediated mechanisms. The level at which estrogen modulates antibody responses appears to be dependent on the route of vaccine administration. The enhancement of specific humoral responses may involve mechanisms involving TLR2 and antibody Fc receptor expression on macrophages, cells that link innate and adaptive immune responses. Advances in our understanding of the relationship between sex hormones and the immune system may provide new insights into the mechanisms by which hormones act and thus may be exploited to guide the design of future vaccine strategies.

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Gregory, Alexandra. "Optimal economic design of mail surveys : influences on response rates and the impact of responses to a second mailing." Diss., Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/815.

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Ledwell-Brown, Jane C. "Reader response to writing in a business setting : a study of managers' responses to writing in an organizational culture." Thesis, McGill University, 1993. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=41258.

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Whereas most research on writing in the workplace examines writing from writers' perspectives, this study focuses on readers' responses to writing. The central issue in this study is the relationship between readers' responses to writing and the goals and values of an organization. The particular focus of the study is managers' responses while reading their subordinates' reports. Conducted over two years in a large company that develops and markets health care products, this study used a variety of qualitative methods. Observations, interviews, and the critical incident method revealed that organizational expectations for writing were closely tied to the organization's mission and its beliefs about how that mission should be accomplished. Respond-aloud protocols from two divisions of the company, Marketing and Management Information Systems, demonstrated that managers' responses while reading their subordinates' reports strongly reflected their beliefs about the particular mandates of their divisions. Furthermore, these protocols also revealed how the divisional cultures reflected the larger framework of the organization. These findings suggest that writers must learn both the organizational and divisional goals and values in order to write reports that meet readers' expectations. Moreover, this study illustrates the importance of readers' responses to the development of theories about writing in the workplace.

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Seaman, Brandi S. "Evidence for the Bypass of the Response-Selection Bottleneck in Tasks with Reflexive Responses in Younger and Older Adults." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2013. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/159.

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This study investigated dual-task processing in younger and older adults using a psychological refractory period procedure. The first task was to name the color framing a picture; the second task was to either press a button or tilt their body in the direction of the tilt of the picture. In the body-tilt condition, electromyography was used to determine the reaction time. The stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) between the onset of the color and tilting of the picture varied from 50 to 1000 ms. In contrast with the response selection bottleneck model, which claims that processing of a second task cannot be completed until the first task is finished, the mode of response for the two tasks directly impacted the ability to avoid the bottleneck. In the body-tilt condition the increase in reaction time to the second task with decreasing SOA was less than in the button press condition, suggesting that processing of the second task could begin before processing of the first task was completed. This was true for both younger and older adults. Contrary to previous findings that older adults cannot engage in simultaneous processing of two tasks, evidence was found that older adults, like younger adults, could bypass the cognitive bottleneck if the second task has a reflexive component.

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Albert, Devon Lee. "Biomechanical Responses of Human Surrogates under Various Frontal Loading Conditions with an Emphasis on Thoracic Response and Injury Tolerance." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/100947.

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Frontal motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) resulted in 10,813 fatalities and 937,000 injuries in 2014, which is more than any other type of MVC. In order to mitigate the injuries and fatalities resulting from MVCs, new safety restraint technologies and more biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) have been developed. However, the biofidelity of these new ATDs must be evaluated, and the mechanisms of injury must be understood in order to accurately predict injury. Evaluating the biomechanical response, injury mechanisms, and injury threshold of the thorax are particularly important because the thorax is one of the most frequently injured body regions in MVCs. Furthermore, sustaining a severe thoracic injury in an MVC significantly increases mortality risk. The overall objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the biomechanical responses of human surrogates under various frontal loading conditions. This objective was divided into three sub-objectives: 1) to evaluate the biofidelity of the current frontal impact ATDs, 2) to evaluate the effect of different safety restraints on occupant responses, and 3) to evaluate rib material properties with respect to sex, age, structural response, and loading history. In order to meet sub-objectives 1 and 2, full-scale frontal sled tests were performed on three different human surrogates: the 50th percentile male Hybrid III (HIII) ATD, the 50th percentile male Test Device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR-M) ATD, and approximately 50th percentile male post-mortem human surrogates (PMHS). All surrogates were tested under three safety restraint conditions: knee bolster (KB), KB and steering wheel airbag (KB/SWAB), and knee bolster airbag and SWAB (KBAB/SWAB). The kinematic, lower extremity, abdominal, thoracic, and neck responses were then compared between surrogates and restraint conditions. In order to assess biofidelity, the ATD responses were compared to the PMHS responses. For both the kinematic and thoracic responses, the HIII and THOR-M had comparable biofideltiy. However, the HIII responses were slightly more biofidelic. The ATDs experienced similar lower extremity kinetics, but very different kinetics at the upper and lower neck due to differences in design. Evaluation of the different restraint conditions showed that the SWAB and KBAB both affected injury risk. The SWAB decreased head injury risk for all surrogates, and increased or decreased thoracic injury risk, depending on the surrogate. The KBAB decreased the risk of femur injury, but increased or decreased tibia injury risk depending on the surrogate and injury metric used to predict risk. In order to meet sub-objective 3, the tensile material properties of human rib cortical bone and the structural properties of whole ribs were quantified at strain rates similar to those observed in frontal impacts. The rib cortical bone underwent coupon tension testing, while the whole ribs underwent bending tests intended to simulate loading from a frontal impact. The rib material properties accounted for less than 50% of the variation observed in the whole rib structural properties, indicating that other factors, such as rib geometry, were also influencing the structural response of whole ribs. Age was significantly negatively correlated with the modulus, yield stress, failure strain, failure stress, plastic strain energy density, and total strain energy density. However, sex did not significantly influence any of the material properties. Cortical bone material properties were quantified from the ribs that underwent the whole rib bending tests and subject-matched, untested (control) ribs in order to evaluate the effect of loading history on material properties. Yield stress and yield strain were the only material properties that were significantly different between the previously tested and control ribs. The results of this dissertation can guide ATD and safety restrain design. Additionally, this dissertation provides human surrogate response data and rib material property data for the validation of finite element models, which can then be used to evaluate injury mitigation strategies for MVCs. PHD

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Israelsson, Viktor. "Worldizing kontra IR-reverb." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Avdelningen för fysik och elektroteknik, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-13464.

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Detta examensarbete går ut på att jämföra två verktyg som ljuddesigners kan använda sig av för att placera ljud i önskade akustiska miljöer. Verktygen i fråga är båda två metoder för att applicera reverb på ljudfiler. Angreppsvinkel för jämförandet är främst frekvensanalys, men utöver rent tekniska detaljer finns även en rad andra inspelningsproblematiska detaljer att ta i beaktning. The purpose of this degree work is to compare two sound design tools, which both are used to virtually place a sound in an acoustic environment. The tools in question are both methods to add reverb on sound files. The angle of the comparison is mainly frequency analysis. Above technicality, practical details are taken into consideration.

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Anthony, Robert McCullough. "Characterization and function of the inflammatory response to infection by a gastrointestinal nematode parasite : new insights into protective Th2 responses /." Download the dissertation in PDF, 2006. http://www.lrc.usuhs.mil/dissertations/pdf/Anthony2006.pdf.

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Wang, Shuo. "Joint Analysis of Social and Item Response Networks with Latent Space Models." The Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1571918340162685.

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Duarte, Alexandra. "The interplay between MYCN and the DNA damage response : modulation of MYCN expression, its interactions with components of the DNA damage response and cellular responses to N-myc following genotoxic stress." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/9832.

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The DNA damage response (DDR) forms a signaling cascade rapidly activated upon exposure to genotoxic stress. The DDR safeguards genomic integrity by halting cell cycle progression to allow repair of damaged DNA or by inducing cell death. Myc proteins are key regulators of cell proliferation that transcriptionally control the cell cycle machinery. Amplification of N-myc in neuroblastomas (MNA-NB) is associated with abrogation of the regulatory mechanisms that normally prevent aberrant cell proliferation and the interplay between N-myc and the DDR was here analysed. Initially, an association between N-myc and the cdk inhibitor p21 was investigated in MNA-NB as a possible mechanism by which p21 is functionally suppressed in these cells. Although an N-myc/p21 interaction was not observed, MNA-NB cells appear to express short N-myc isoforms with the potential to associate with p21. Expression of N-myc rendered Rat-1 cells resistant to the cell cycle block imposed by serum starvation but these cells were not able to bypass a G1 arrest imposed by ectopic p21 suggesting N-myc does not abolish p21 activity through regulation at the protein level. Analysis of the N-myc response to DNA damage in MNA-NB cells revealed that N-myc is downregulated in a proteasome-dependent manner in response to UVC or a UV-mimetic carcinogen, 4NQO. This effect was not reproduced with other agents such as IR which like UVC were found to repress cyclin D1 expression likely indicating that alternative DDR signaling pathways differently regulate N-myc. N-myc was found to interact with the DDB2 subunit of the damaged-DNA binding (DDB) complex, a substrate receptor for the DDB1-Cul4ADDB2 E3 ligase. The DDB complex has been implicated in UV-induced protein ubiquitylation suggesting it may play a role in the N-myc response to UVC radiation. These findings highlight the complexities of the DDR and uncover potentially important mechanisms of cell cycle control through regulation of N-myc.

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Qvarfordt, Lisa. "Communicating and engaging with crisis-affected people in humanitarian responses: a case study of the Red Cross Ebola response in Liberia." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23604.

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Changing the approach to communication and engagement with the local people in Liberia during the Ebola response turned out to be a key strategy in the Red Cross’ work. The Liberian Red Cross’ communication with the crisis-affected people changed significantly during the fight against the Ebola virus, from top-down information to a more dialogical communication approach. The Ebola epidemic in West Africa has caused more than 11 000 deaths since the outbreak in March 2014. The task of defeating the virus seemed overwhelming at times, but the outbreak finally stopped and all the three worst hit countries: Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia were declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization. Communication with and participation of the people the aid organizations target have been a central issue for discussion within the international community and development agencies for a long time. During the Ebola response it was clearly stated that communicating and engaging with the people living in the affected area was a core approach during and after the response. This thesis explores how one of the responding humanitarian organizations, The Red Cross, used communication with the crisis affected people in Liberia as a tool in their response to help stop and prevent the virus from spreading. The study is done as a case study. Main components of the case, and focus for the analysis, are semi-structured interviews with staff and volunteers from the Liberian Red Cross that worked with communication and operational activities during the Ebola response. Red Cross documents from the Ebola response, policy, planning, evaluation and training-documents, are also important part of the case.

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Bennett, James Benjamin. "Longitudinal Analysis of Public Response to Wildland Fire and Fuel Management: Examining Citizen Responses and Fire Management Decisions from 2002-2008." The Ohio State University, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1285025691.

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Rodriguez, David. "PUBLIC RESPONSE TO POOR CSR: AN EVENT STUDY LOOKING AT THE EFFECTS OF ANNOUNCEMENTS ON BOTH FIRM PERFORMANCE AND CUSTOMER RESPONSES." OpenSIUC, 2009. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/284.

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Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has moved to the forefront of many firms' concerns and is defined as a firm taking into consideration the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of the firm's actions on all stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, communities at large, and the environment. This dissertation will look at several public announcements and examine not only the level of corporate social responsibility a firm has but also the effects these announcements have on not only firm value but also customers' reactions to them. The three samples examined in the paper are boycotts announcements, recall announcements, and negative social responsibility announcements. The announcements were separated into the three groups to allow me to better analyze the effects of individual announcements and distinguish between types of announcements. The first part of the study focused on market response, measured by stock reactions and shows that the three samples of event announcements produced inconsistent results. Each of the three events produced the negative short term effects expected, either for Day 0 or for the post event period (+1, +30). However, the significance varied and the control sample for both recalls and boycotts produced positive post announcement results, implying that competitors are positively affected by these announcements. With regards to the control samples, only the general announcements control sample produced negative post announcement implying market wide affects. These test also showed that recalls may be subject more often to leakage. The general findings of this test are as expected though the significance was not. The second part of the study focused on customer's reactions, measured by change in market shares, to the three announcements. I found that no significant effect existed due to any of the three types of announcements, negative CSR announcements, boycotts, and recalls. This can be interpreted as the lack of public response to the announcements studied. These results were then followed up with a regression analysis that put the market share as the dependent variable and `Sample" as one of the independent variables. The purpose was to see if the firms that were subject to an announcement affected market share significantly. With regards to the tests establishing the effects of variables on market share, it was found that the results in all three samples were similar. The Size variable was always among the most significant followed by whether the firm is in its growth stages or mature stages. The Sample variable is the most important variable in the regression and shows that the subject firms did not have the expected effect on market share. For all three samples the Sample variable was not consistently significant but was, in fact, positive. This implies that a negative announcement positively contributes to market share. The implication of these regressions is not necessarily contrary to the event study first completed since the stock market study is observing owners' responses while the market share analysis is studying the customers' response to the same announcements. The final portion of the study shows that KLD is relatively effective at ranking firms, both at the product and firm level. Effective ranking is determined as the firm's lack of need to reassess a firm after an announcement. I find that there is no significant or economic difference in the ranking provided by KLD in the years surrounding the event. However, the regression results in all samples tested did produce the negative reaction in the KLD ranking that was as expected. However, it was only significant in the boycott sample. I conclude that the market reacts minimally to poor CSR and that customer's barks' are worse than their bite.

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Sunter, Nicola. "DNA Damage Responses." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.489314.

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The histone H2AX has been established as a reliable biomarker of DNA damage, becoming phosphorylated rapidly following damage in discrete foci which can be correlated with DNA DSB number. In the present study, the phosphorylation of H2AX was used as a marker of DNA DSB damage to compare and contrast the damage induced by ionizing radiation, the topo II poison, etoposide, and the topo II catalytic inhibitor, ICRF-193. To examine the DNA damage numbers at time-points in the 24 hours following exposure to these damaging agents. Topo lIP null cells were used to investigate the contribution of topo II a and Pthese damage responses and the Trapped in Agarose DNA Immunostaining assay was utilised to quantify the numbers of topo II_DNA complexes formed in response to these agents. This study aimed to examine the levels of DNA damage following exposure to these damaging agents and to investigate differences in the complement of proteins associated with DNA damage-induced foci. By using both the y-H2AX and TARDIS assays and protein colocalisation techniques, the studies detailed here presents novel findings on the differing damage responses induced following these three agents.

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Roberts, Emma Margaret. "Contralateral inflammatory responses." Thesis, University of Bath, 2005. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.432371.

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Kangas, Brian D. "On the effects of extended sample-observing response requirements on adjusted delay in a titrating delay matching-to-sample procedure with pigeons." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2005. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4864/.

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A common procedural variation that facilitates the acquisition of conditional discriminations is to increase the time an organism spends in the presence of the sample stimulus by programming extended sample-observing response requirements. Despite their common use, there has been little empirical investigation of the effects of extended sample-observing response requirements. In the current study, four pigeons worked on a titrating delay matching-to-sample procedure in which the delay between sample offset and comparison onset was adjusted as a function of the pigeons' accuracy. The number of responses required to produce the comparison array was manipulated across conditions. Results show that all subjects were able to withstand longer delays between sample offset and comparison onset as sample-observing response requirements increased. These data show that the extent of the response requirement in the presence of the sample has systematic effects on conditional discrimination performances and should be considered in the design of experiments.

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MAURO, Manuela. "Mining extraction in the ocean depths: a baseline to understand and reduce acoustic impact on biodiversity." Doctoral thesis, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10447/395395.

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Throughout history, man has exploited the earth's mineral resources for its survival and for technological development without regard for their regeneration. Given the growth of the world population and given the fall in resources, man started looking for new deposits, which were found in 1960s in the ocean depths. Humankind then began to consider extracting minerals from these deposits and this gave origin to Deep Sea Mining (DSM). The consequences of mining activities in the deep sea are not entirely known and the effects can be varied: noise pollution, light pollution, chemical pollution, habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and the loss of species which we consider the basis of many life systems. The acoustic impact of these activities could have significant consequences on marine species; nevertheless, this has been the most overlooked issue to date. The aim of this PhD project was to provide baseline knowledge of possible acoustic impacts of DSM on biodiversity before mining begins. In order to do this, the PhD project was organised into 3 different stages. First, during an indoor experiment, the biochemical responses of invertebrates Arbacia lixula and Mytilus galloprovincialis subjected to acoustic stress were analysed. The results showed significant changes in cytotoxicity activity, expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs), and enzyme activities (esterases, alkaline phosphatases, peroxidases) in the coelomic fluid of sea urchins subjected to acoustic stress. Significant effects were also observed in glucose levels, cytotoxicity and enzyme activities (esterase, alkaline phosphatase, peroxidase) in the digestive gland of the mussel. Second, the biochemical responses of vertebrates and invertebrates subjected in-situ to watergun emission were analysed: Chromis chromis, Holothuria tubulosa and Arbacia lixula. Significant effects on fish cortisol levels and on enzyme activities in sea urchin peristomes were found. Furthermore, the enzyme biochemical responses analysed in the coelomic fluids of echinoderms showed significant effects only in A. lixula sea urchin and only in peroxidase activity. Third, behavioural changes in experimental conditions were studied in juveniles of Sparus aurata subjected to 4 different acoustic emission frequencies. This experiment showed that only low frequencies had effects on all the behavioural responses analysed: swimming height, motility and dispersion of the group. Based on behavioural data obtained in vivo on juvenile fish, a numerical model was created to predict the impacts of different acoustic emission frequencies. Using the results obtained and literature, a first technical standard useful for mining activities was drawn up.

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Albrechtsen, Justin Scott. "Are intuitive responses more accurate at detecting deception than deliberate responses?" To access this resource online via ProQuest Dissertations and Theses @ UTEP, 2007. http://0-proquest.umi.com.lib.utep.edu/login?COPT=REJTPTU0YmImSU5UPTAmVkVSPTI=&clientId=2515.

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Vidmark, Jessica Sofie Louise. "An investigation of the relationships between electrotactile stimulus parameters, primary afferent response, and perceived sensation." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för kemi, bioteknologi och hälsa (CBH), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-251735.

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Sensory feedback possesses the possibility of adding a new dimension to many applications, including, but not limited to, prosthetics and surgical robots for improved control, virtual reality for incorporation of another sense, and phantom limb pain reduction for amputees. Electrotactile stimulation provides a compact, light-weight, energy efficient, highly responsive, and non-invasive option for sensory feedback; however, it has been found to commonly elicit unnatural or uncomfortable sensations for the user. To address this issue, this thesis was designed to test the impact of the different electrotactile stimulus parameters – current amplitude and polarity, pulse width, frequency, and waveform – on the user’s perceived sensation and afferent neural response. The relationship between sensation and neural response was also analysed. The aim of this thesis was to create guidelines to assist in the design and use of electrotactile stimulation. Neural data and matching psychophysical data from one healthy subject and purely psychophysical data from three others were gathered while applying electrotactile stimulations of different parameter combinations on the dorsal side of the hand or lower arm. Significant (p < 0.05) correlations and differences were found in all three relationships between electrotactile stimulus parameters, primary afferent response, and perceived sensation. Current (specifically negative) or pulse width control in monophasic waveforms were deemed most appropriate in applications that relay information through varying intensity. However, monophasic waveforms produced more discomfort, rendering biphasic waveforms more suitable when mild, local, and more natural sensations are of greater importance. Surprisingly, the data also suggested higher sensitivity to positive currents. While lower values of current amplitude and pulse width increased neural spike count, stimulus frequency could reliably control neural firing at all tested frequencies. Spike counts were moderately to strongly correlated with perceived intensity; however, practically identical neural responses could elicit different sensations. High current pulses at low frequencies induced spikes with the shortest latency – but with greater risk of discomfort. Due to limitations in sample size, generalisability is limited, and this thesis should be considered a pilot study to guide future investigations. The results suggest that recording from single and multiple afferent nerve fibres simultaneously would improve the understanding of the neural population response to electrotactile stimuli. Moreover, the one-to-one neural response to electrotactile stimuli raised the question of whether an electrotactile stimulation based on a natural spike pattern could replicate the original sensation. A future study testing this hypothesis may find a new approach to designing painless electrotactile stimulations for sensory feedback use. Sensorisk återkoppling har möjlighet att drastiskt förbättra många användningsområden, t.ex. genom att bidra till enklare kontroll av proteser och kirurgiska robotar, mer verklighetstrogna VR-spel, och minskade fantomsmärtor hos patienter med amputeringar. Elektrisk hudstimulering erbjuder ett kompakt, lätt, energisnålt, hög-responsivt och icke-invasivt alternativ för sensorisk återkoppling – dock framkallar denna metod ofta onaturliga och obehagliga förnimmelser för användaren. Detta examensarbete bemöter detta problem genom att undersöka effekten av stimuleringsparametrar som strömstyrka, pulsbredd, frekvens och vågform på försökspersonens upplevda förnimmelse samt den afferenta nervresponsen. Även relationen mellan förnimmelse och nervrespons analyserades. Examensarbetets ändamål var att skapa riktlinjer för att förenkla designen och användandet av elektrisk hudstimulering. Nervdata med matchande psykofysiska data samlades från en frisk försöksperson, samt enbart psykofysiska data från tre andra, under olika elektriska hudstimuleringar (med varierande parametervärden) på handens dorsala sida eller på underarmen. Signifikanta (p < 0.05) korrelationer och skillnader fanns i alla tre relationer mellan parametrarna för elektrisk hudstimulering, primärafferent respons och upplevd förnimmelse. Kontroll av ström (i synnerhet negativ) eller pulsbredd i monofasisk vågform visade sig vara mest fördelaktigt i applikationer där information kommuniceras till användaren genom att variera den upplevda intensiteten. Dock skapade denna vågform mer obehag, och bifasiska vågformer bedömdes mer passande då milda, lokala, och mer naturliga förnimmelser är av högre värde. Positiv ström upplevdes, förvånande, starkare än negativ. Vid låga värden på ström och pulsbredd var dessa faktorer viktiga gällande antalet aktionspotentialer (AP), men stimuleringsfrekvensen kunde kontrollera antalet AP vid alla frekvenser. Mängden AP var måttligt till starkt korrelaterad med upplevd intensitet – samtidigt kunde praktiskt taget identiska nervresponser vara kopplade till olika förnimmelser. Lågfrekvent stimulering med hög ström hade kortast latenstid, men högre risk för obehag. P.g.a. lågt antal försökspersoner är generaliserbarheten begränsad och detta examensarbete bör beaktas som en förstudie för att guida framtida forskning. Resultaten från denna studie antyder att en tydligare bild av populationsresponsen skulle kunna skapas genom samtidig läsning av ett flertal enskilda nervfibrer samtidigt. Det faktum att varje stimulering kunde ge upphov till en AP väckte frågan: kan ett stimuleringsmönster baserat på en naturlig nervrespons återskapa den ursprungliga förnimmelsen? En studie som testar denna hypotes har möjligheten att finna ett nytt tillvägagångssätt för att skapa smärtfri elektrisk hudstimulering för sensorisk återkoppling.

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Fitzsimmons, James. "Ecological Responses to Threats in an Evolutionary Context: Bacterial Responses to Antibiotics and Butterfly Species’ Responses to Climate Change." Thèse, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/23807.

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Humans are generally having a strong, widespread, and negative impact on nature. Given the many ways we are impacting nature and the many ways nature is responding, it is useful to study responses in an integrative context. My thesis is focused largely (two out of the three data chapters) on butterfly species’ range shifts consistent with modern climate change in Canada. I employed a macroecological approach to my research, drawing on methods and findings from evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, conservation biology, and natural history. I answered three main research questions. First, is there a trade-off between population growth rate (rmax) and carrying capacity (K) at the mutation scale (Chapter 2)? I found rmax and K to not trade off, but in fact to positively co-vary at the mutation scale. This suggests trade-offs between these traits only emerge after selection removes mutants with low resource acquisition rates (i.e., unhealthy genotypes), revealing trade-offs between remaining genotypes with varied resource allocation strategies. Second, did butterfly species shift their northern range boundaries northward over the 1900s, consistent with climate warming (Chapter 3)? Leading a team of collaborators, we found that most butterfly species’ northern range boundaries did indeed shift northward over the 1900s. But range shift rates were slower than those documented in the literature for more recent time periods, likely reflecting the weaker warming experienced in the time period of my study. Third, were species’ rates of range shift related to their phylogeny (Chapter 3) or traits (Chapter 4)? I found no compelling relationships between rates of range shift and phylogeny or traits. If certain traits make some species more successful at northern boundary range expansion than others, their effect was not strong enough to emerge from the background noise inherent in the broad scale data set I used.

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Pino, Olga. "Bedömning : för en högre måluppfyllelse i matematik i grundskolans tidigare år." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Institutionen för livsvetenskaper, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-17793.

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Assessment is considered one of the most important tools used today by people in almost everything they do and learn. This also applies to school, where assessment is considered as a constant companion to teaching and used in order to develop students' learning and skills. Assessment is also an educational necessity which has different purposes and therefore different consequences. The idea of this thesis was on the basis of the interviewed teacher's perspective to investigate what role the formative assessment has on the development of pupils' learning and knowledge in mathematics for primary education, and explore how the teacher can, according to my informants, work with this assessment practice in the classroom so that it promotes the learning of the students in the best possible way. To carry out this study, I used qualitative research studies, the interview method, and also talked to five different teachers in the lower school ages on their view at the work of the formative assessment. Theoretical basis of the thesis is also based on the research that says that the assessment can be used to promote student learning and knowledge, but also the teacher's learning’s in the educational process: assessment can and should be an assessment for learning. The results of my survey show that assessment, in the sense of assessment for learning, is an important part of the work for the school and is used in order to develop both students' learning and skills, and provide support for teachers to develop their own work. The assessment can also be used in many different ways and in many different situations. The study also shows that even the teacher's role in the assessment of student learning and knowledge is extremely important and great. From what all the teachers are saying and based on my own conclusions from the work done, I can see that it is the teacher's task, to constantly be responsible for the development of the pupils' learning and knowledge, and show the way for these students in this process. In addition, play pedagogue planning and the methods he/she uses also an important role for the learning needs of the students. The teacher is seen as the engine for all learning and depending on how he/she use this knowledge and experience her/his students will learn.

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Wienen, Renske. "Gender differences in unconscious visual working memory." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för psykologi, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-161418.

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Recent research has shown that working memory tasks can be performed with information that hasn’t been consciously perceived. This provides new opportunities in research concerning possible limitations and influential factors on unconscious working memory. Gender has been demonstrated to be a factor affecting conscious visual working memory tasks and could likewise influence unconscious visual working memory. An analysis of behavioral data, obtained in three similar unconscious visual working memory tasks (n = 89), was performed. Three ANCOVAs were conducted to establish whether there was a significant effect of gender on unconscious working memory accuracy, response time (RT) and speed-accuracy tradeoff (SAT) across the three datasets. The analysis demonstrated a significant advantage in response time for female participants compared to male participants. Implications of this observation, such as male and female response strategies and possible social implications of unconscious processes, are discussed in this thesis. Nyligen har arbetsminnet bevisats fungera omedvetet. Detta öppnar nya dörrar för forskning om möjliga begränsningar och påverkande faktorer på omedvetet arbetsminne. Kön, som har betydande inflytande på medvetet visuellt arbetsminne, kan på samma sätt också påverka det omedvetna visuella arbetsminnet. En analys av data, insamlad vid tre liknande visuella uppgifter där det omedvetna arbetsminnet användes (n = 91), utfördes. ANCOVAs utfördes för att fastställa huruvida det fanns betydande effekter utifrån kön på det omedvetna arbetsminnets noggrannhet, svarstid samt avvägning mellan snabbhet och noggrannhet, oavsett uppgift. Analysen visade ett signifikant övertag vad gäller kvinnors svarstid i jämförelse med manliga deltagare. Detta övertag gäller generell svarstid och en fördelaktig avvägning mellan snabbhet och noggrannhet. Konsekvensen av dessa observationer, såsom olika svarstaktik för män och kvinnor, möjlig samhällspåverkan av omedvetna processer, diskuteras i denna uppsats.

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Short, Leonie Marianne, and n/a. "Conflict Escalation in Response to Continued Pushy, Dominating Behaviour in the Workplace: Ideal and Everyday Response Strategies Examined." Griffith University. School of Applied Psychology, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20040416.141210.

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The aim of the current research program was to investigate the social context of escalation in response to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. In doing so, this research program contributes to the development of communication skills by investigating the entire context of skills required for effective communication in managing everyday conflict in the workplace. The response class, Responding to continued pushy or dominating behaviour in the workplace, was selected as a vehicle for examining the context of escalation for two reasons. Firstly, this response class, by the very nature of pushy behaviour, embodies a continued interaction. In the past, assertive communication research has focused on one off responses rather than a continued interaction. Secondly, this response class has been identified in previous research as being of interest to assertiveness trainees (Cooley, 1979, Lefevre & West, 1984, Wilson & Gallios, 1993). The theoretical premise of the current research program resides in the application of Social Rules Theory to the difficult face-to-face communication situation, or response class, of responding to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. In doing so, this approach also takes into account dialectical theory, conflict resolution theory, and the concept of response components that can be selected and/or combined in order to meet the requirements, or rules, of a specific situation. In adopting the Social Rules approach, the current research program addresses the key criticisms of the traditional approach to assertion and assertion training, namely that people behaving assertively are sometimes negatively evaluated for assertive behaviour (Wilson & Gallois, 1993); and that assertion traditionally focused on the expressiveness of a response at the unintended cost of social or contextual appropriateness (Crawford, 1988); that finding a response is assertive does not delineate which aspects of the response are producing which types of effects (Galassi, 1978; Mullinix & Galassi, 1981). Most importantly, the current research contributes to the field by examining the negative response class in terms of a response sequence of escalation, rather than a one-off response. This is new research and contributes to the field theoretically and to the conceptualisation of assertion and communication. In order to meet the goals of the current research program, the response class Responding to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace, was defined precisely in terms of the situational context. This response class implies a workplace relationship of an ongoing nature. Four other variables were involved in defining and investigating the situation. These were status, gender of message sender, gender of message receiver, and response level (initial response, first escalation or second escalation). The current program of research was carried out in a series of three related studies, and these four variables were examined in each of the three studies. The purpose of the first study was to elicit social rules and goals for interpersonally effective and appropriate escalation strategies in response to pushy dominating communication in the workplace. This study was conducted in two parts, a qualitative questionnaire completed by 20 females and 20 males, and two focus groups, one for females and one for males. Content analysis revealed a set of rules for an escalation sequence for each combination of status and gender. These rules were then operationalized, filmed and analysed in the second study. One hundred and twenty-three participants (64 females and 59 males) with work experience watched the operationalized responses and rated them on a series of seven scales. These scales were effectiveness in stopping the pushy behaviour (task effectiveness), effectiveness in maintaining the relationship (maintenance effectives), social appropriateness, interpersonal skill required, risk involved, personal difficulty in making the response, and likelihood of making the response. Analyses included descriptive statistics, which indicated that the operationalized responses were perceived to be effective and socially appropriate. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were also conducted and revealed a number of significant interactions for each status level (manager, colleague, subordinate). The third and final study in this research program adopted a qualitative approach to examine continued pushy or dominating communication in the workplace. Eighty-two (45 female and 37 male) participants completed a qualitative questionnaire utilizing an open-ended approach. This questionnaire was designed for the purpose of the third study to elicit the typical behaviours, emotions and cognitions participants have in response to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. Also, a data analysis process was designed specifically for the third study to provide an analytical procedure that was as systematically rigorous and replicable as possible. This process is explained in detail in Study 3. The results of the third study revealed differences between actual behaviour and rule based behaviour in response to continued pushy behaviour, namely that actual responses are more public and direct in nature, and more likely to promote destructive conflict escalation. This finding implies that typical responses are not as effective as rule based responses, highlighting the benefits of applying social rules to manage difficult face to face communication situations. In summary, the current research project utilized a multi-method approach in a series of three studies to reveal the nature of Social Rules based responses and typical responses. The results of this research program have implications for both the theory and practice of effective communication and effective communication training. Evaluation of both social rules based and typical responses have implications for communication trainees who wish to make informed choice based on a consideration of functionally effective behaviour and personal satisfaction. For example, social rules for escalation in response to continued pushy behaviour from a male manager may indicate that it is most effective for a female subordinate to acquiesce. However, the female subordinate may choose to violate social rules and risk being perceived as inappropriate and damaging the relationship, to achieve a super-ordinate goal or for personal satisfaction. Conversely, the social rules and responses developed in the current research program have implications for professional effectiveness in the workplace by providing guidelines for dealing with dominating behaviour.

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45

Athanasiou, Evangelia. "Response on reinforced concrete structural elements to ballistic impact and contact detonations." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/31287.

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Concrete is a widely studied material with a composite nature. It is used both in civil and military buildings and infrastructures. An issue of great importance is the protection of people from terrorist attacks that target critical infrastructure. Explosions, detonations and/or projectile impacts are some of the most severe actions a concrete structure can face. Experimental analysis is necessary in order to understand and predict the response of a structure to such dynamic and strain rate sensitive conditions. However, as the cost of performing experiments is significant and numerical simulations offer improved blast and impact analysis capabilities, there is an effort to limit experiments to validation purposes. In recent years, many researchers have studied the impact loads transferred to reinforced concrete (RC) structures both through direct projectile impacts or blast waves at both near and far field. The aim of the current study is twofold. First, to investigate contact detonations on this type of material (RC), since literature can provide us with limited information. Secondly, to assess the behaviour of the RC structure under combined ballistic impact and contact detonation of a very specific geometry of projectile (HESH) that exists currently on the market and behaves differently from the normal projectiles that consist of one single material. The author analysed and discussed in depth the response of RC members exposed to contact detonations. More precisely, the effect of the mass of explosive (C4) on pressures, impulses and energy balances. Also, she investigated the kinematic response of RC slabs and the structural role of the reinforcing bars. The driving force of this RC structures. Currently, the majority of studies regarding contact blast are focusing either on innovative types of concrete or normal concrete. However, normal concrete is investigated as a control parameter (to prove the effective resistance of the innovative material) rather than a detailed study on the behaviour of the material. Thereafter, the author analysed the response of a RC wall under the combined effect of kinetic energy (terminal ballistics) and contact detonation caused by the impact of a 90 mm HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) projectile fired from a distance of 70 m. The aim was to investigate the response of the structural member under the superposition of those two actions and analyse the combined effects of the impact velocity and detonation on the response of the structure. The numerical modelling is based on a Multi-Material-Arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian approach (MMALE, using LS-DYNA) using the Winfrith concrete constitutive material model to investigate the dynamic response of the RC members under high strain rate conditions. The efficiency of the proposed numerical modelling is validated with experimental results - based on open-arena testing - and provided by the Royal Military Academy of Belgium. Some of the key findings of this research are that the increase of the amount of the explosive affects the damage failure of the RC members from flexural failure to shear failure. In addition, fitting curves that could be used in design, were proposed, that show the relation between the mass of explosive and the resulting pressures and impulses, within the tested range. In the case of the combined blast and impact scenario, the detonation was found to dominate the structural response of the RC slab.

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Short, Leonie Marianne. "Conflict Escalation in Response to Continued Pushy, Dominating Behaviour in the Workplace: Ideal and Everyday Response Strategies Examined." Thesis, Griffith University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367646.

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The aim of the current research program was to investigate the social context of escalation in response to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. In doing so, this research program contributes to the development of communication skills by investigating the entire context of skills required for effective communication in managing everyday conflict in the workplace. The response class, Responding to continued pushy or dominating behaviour in the workplace, was selected as a vehicle for examining the context of escalation for two reasons. Firstly, this response class, by the very nature of pushy behaviour, embodies a continued interaction. In the past, assertive communication research has focused on one off responses rather than a continued interaction. Secondly, this response class has been identified in previous research as being of interest to assertiveness trainees (Cooley, 1979, Lefevre & West, 1984, Wilson & Gallios, 1993). The theoretical premise of the current research program resides in the application of Social Rules Theory to the difficult face-to-face communication situation, or response class, of responding to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. In doing so, this approach also takes into account dialectical theory, conflict resolution theory, and the concept of response components that can be selected and/or combined in order to meet the requirements, or rules, of a specific situation. In adopting the Social Rules approach, the current research program addresses the key criticisms of the traditional approach to assertion and assertion training, namely that people behaving assertively are sometimes negatively evaluated for assertive behaviour (Wilson & Gallois, 1993); and that assertion traditionally focused on the expressiveness of a response at the unintended cost of social or contextual appropriateness (Crawford, 1988); that finding a response is assertive does not delineate which aspects of the response are producing which types of effects (Galassi, 1978; Mullinix & Galassi, 1981). Most importantly, the current research contributes to the field by examining the negative response class in terms of a response sequence of escalation, rather than a one-off response. This is new research and contributes to the field theoretically and to the conceptualisation of assertion and communication. In order to meet the goals of the current research program, the response class Responding to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace, was defined precisely in terms of the situational context. This response class implies a workplace relationship of an ongoing nature. Four other variables were involved in defining and investigating the situation. These were status, gender of message sender, gender of message receiver, and response level (initial response, first escalation or second escalation). The current program of research was carried out in a series of three related studies, and these four variables were examined in each of the three studies. The purpose of the first study was to elicit social rules and goals for interpersonally effective and appropriate escalation strategies in response to pushy dominating communication in the workplace. This study was conducted in two parts, a qualitative questionnaire completed by 20 females and 20 males, and two focus groups, one for females and one for males. Content analysis revealed a set of rules for an escalation sequence for each combination of status and gender. These rules were then operationalized, filmed and analysed in the second study. One hundred and twenty-three participants (64 females and 59 males) with work experience watched the operationalized responses and rated them on a series of seven scales. These scales were effectiveness in stopping the pushy behaviour (task effectiveness), effectiveness in maintaining the relationship (maintenance effectives), social appropriateness, interpersonal skill required, risk involved, personal difficulty in making the response, and likelihood of making the response. Analyses included descriptive statistics, which indicated that the operationalized responses were perceived to be effective and socially appropriate. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were also conducted and revealed a number of significant interactions for each status level (manager, colleague, subordinate). The third and final study in this research program adopted a qualitative approach to examine continued pushy or dominating communication in the workplace. Eighty-two (45 female and 37 male) participants completed a qualitative questionnaire utilizing an open-ended approach. This questionnaire was designed for the purpose of the third study to elicit the typical behaviours, emotions and cognitions participants have in response to continued pushy behaviour in the workplace. Also, a data analysis process was designed specifically for the third study to provide an analytical procedure that was as systematically rigorous and replicable as possible. This process is explained in detail in Study 3. The results of the third study revealed differences between actual behaviour and rule based behaviour in response to continued pushy behaviour, namely that actual responses are more public and direct in nature, and more likely to promote destructive conflict escalation. This finding implies that typical responses are not as effective as rule based responses, highlighting the benefits of applying social rules to manage difficult face to face communication situations. In summary, the current research project utilized a multi-method approach in a series of three studies to reveal the nature of Social Rules based responses and typical responses. The results of this research program have implications for both the theory and practice of effective communication and effective communication training. Evaluation of both social rules based and typical responses have implications for communication trainees who wish to make informed choice based on a consideration of functionally effective behaviour and personal satisfaction. For example, social rules for escalation in response to continued pushy behaviour from a male manager may indicate that it is most effective for a female subordinate to acquiesce. However, the female subordinate may choose to violate social rules and risk being perceived as inappropriate and damaging the relationship, to achieve a super-ordinate goal or for personal satisfaction. Conversely, the social rules and responses developed in the current research program have implications for professional effectiveness in the workplace by providing guidelines for dealing with dominating behaviour. Thesis (PhD Doctorate) Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) School of Applied Psychology (Business) Full Text

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47

Machnik, Lisa K. "Visitors' delayed responses to interpretive talks and interpreters' expectations for visitor responses." Connect to this title online, 2007. http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1181251571/.

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Curtis, Odette Elisabeth. "Responses of raptors to habitat fragmentation : from individual responses to population susceptibility." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6727.

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Habitat fragmentation has different effects on species and communities, depending on a suite of life-history and population traits: some species are more vulnerable to the effects of fragmentation than others. Contrasting responses suggest there are particular species' attributes that make an organism more or less susceptible to the effects of fragmentation. Much research has focused on identifying which of these traits are the most useful indicators of a species' fragmentation-linked extinction risk. For example, body size, rarity, ecological specialization, matrix use, range size and turnover rate have all been linked with species extinction risk. Few studies have, however, attempted to explore the traits that predispose raptors to vulnerability from fragmentation. In this study, I compare the responses of two near-sympatric raptors (the Black Harrier Circus maurus and the Black Sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus) to habitat fragmentation. On a broader scale, I use a simple model of susceptibility to fragmentation effects, and a sample of hawks (Accipiter spp) and harriers (Circus spp) in the family Accipitridae, to predict which species attributes are most likely to produce a negative response to habitat fragmentation. I then compare these predictions with the current global threat status of each species to test whether the model can predict threat status with acceptable accuracy.

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Bendevis, Mira Arpe. "Comparison of photosynthetic responses of Ashe juniper and live oak on the Edwards Plateau, Texas." [College Station, Tex. : Texas A&M University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1716.

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Jones, Tucker L. "Factors associated with responses to potential rejection by specific others." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/38624.

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Master of Science Department of Psychological Sciences Mark A. Barnett The present study is an extension of our prior work (Jones et al., 2016) and explored two specific goals. The primary goal examined the predictive ability of target-specific, rejection-relevant individual difference measures on participants’ anticipated emotional and behavioral responses to ambiguous social situations involving specific potential rejectors (i.e., significant others, friends, acquaintances). The secondary goal explored differences in participants’ anticipated emotional and behavioral responses to perceived rejection by the same potential rejectors. Concerning the primary goal, correlations revealed that previous experience with and/or sensitivity to being rejected by any individual is associated with heightened anticipated emotional responses which, in turn, is associated with different anticipated behavioral responses. However, path analyses revealed that the target-specific, rejection-relevant individual difference variables used in the current study were uniquely predictive of participants’ anticipated responses to ambiguous social situations involving similar potential rejectors, but only for those who read about potentially being rejected by a friend (results of the path analyses for those who read about potential rejection by significant others or acquaintances were uninterpretable). Concerning the secondary goal, analyses revealed that the intensity of the emotional responses as well as the type of behavioral response were dependent on the role of the potential rejector. Taken together, the present findings provide insight into the individual differences associated with our tendency to feel and behave as if we have been rejected within ambiguous social situations and help to shed additional light on the dyadic nature of interpersonal rejection.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Responsos'

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