Cloning and characterization of xerC gene of Streptococcus suis

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Caractérisation des recombinases XerC et XerD de Proteus mirabilis

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Cloning and characterization of xerC gene of Streptococcus suis

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Understanding alexithymia in female adolescents: the role of attachment style

Adults with alexithymia retrospectively report emotional difficulties with caregivers during childhood. However, the association between attachment style and alexithymic traits may be evident at an earlier stage than adulthood, i.e. during adolescence. Sixty school-based healthy females aged 9–18 years (mean 14.08, SD 2.71 years) participated in an Attachment Style Interview (ASI) and completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Greater levels of alexithymia were exhibited by both anxious and avoidant insecurely attached groups compared to securely attached participants. Fear of separation (characteristic of anxious attachment style) predicted both overall alexithymia scores and the specific alexithymic trait of ‘difficulty identifying feelings’ (DIF). Constraints on closeness (an avoidant attachment attitude) predicted ‘difficulty describing feelings’ (DDF). Low felt attachment to primary caregiver was a predictor of ‘externally oriented thinking’ (EOT). These findings indicate that features of anxious and avoidant insecure attachment styles are differentially related to the separate facets of alexithymia in female adolescents. Specifically, the findings concerning fear of separation may reflect the adolescent struggle for autonomy and the resulting effects on the affect regulation system. Our results also suggest that the normative differentiation of the emotional and cognitive aspects of alexithymia may occur on a developmental trajectory.

The Dynamics of Male and Female Street Prostitution in Manchester, England

This article examines male street prostitution in Manchester, England, and draws some comparisons to its female counterpart in this city. While the two sectors have some important similarities, we also find significant differences in the physical and social ecology of the places in which they work, in their behavior patterns, and in individuals’ demographics and work experiences. We find that ecological dif- ferences between the male and female markets have a major impact on partici- pants’ work practices, opportunities, and integration into the local community. The data also indicate that it is incorrect to speak of a monolithic male street market or sector in Manchester because sellers shift between settings (street, bar, and escorting), unlike the female street sector. We also find that the males demonstrate more diversity in their repertoires for earning money. The findings have implications for local government policy and for outreach workers who work with these populations.

Comportamiento del buceo en crías de tortuga boba (Caretta caretta) en cautiverio

[ES]Uno de los aspectos más desconocidos de la tortuga boba, y de las tortugas marinas en general, es el comportamiento del buceo. Debido a las largas distancias que recorre la especie lejos de la costa para alimentarse, este aspecto ha sido siempre difícil de estudiar.

Control de interrupciones de vídeo streaming móvil en arquitecturas Android usando técnicas de realidad aumentada y WebRTC

Programa de doctorado: Tecnología de la Información y sus aplicaciones. La fecha de publicación es la fecha de lectura

The designation of documentary types, series and units in Spain. A contribution to archival theory (2).

The identification of archival records depends on description, being this last process summed up in designation. The title given to dif-ferent groups of documents will have a great incidence in archival func-tions. Taking this premise as our starting point, this paper presents theo-retical contributions made in Spain related to designation of documen-tary types, series and units. The status of the issue presented here tries to delimitate the concept of “documentary typology”, essential for Ar-chival Science.

Aspects of Chiral Symmetry Breaking in Lattice QCD

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Improving the Psychometric Utility of the Hypomania Checklist (HCL-32): a Rasch Analysis Approach

Background The HCL-32 is a widely-used screening questionnaire for hypomania. We aimed to use a Rasch analysis approach to (i) evaluate the measurement properties, principally unidimensionality, of the HCL-32, and (ii) generate a score table to allow researchers to convert raw HCL-32 scores into an interval-level measurement which will be more appropriate for statistical analyses. Methods Subjects were part of the Bipolar Disorder Research Network (BDRN) study with DSM-IV bipolar disorder (n=389). Multidimensionality was assessed using the Rasch fit statistics and principle components analysis of the residuals (PCA). Item invariance (differential item functioning, DIF) was tested for gender, bipolar diagnosis and current mental state. Item estimates and reliabilities were calculated. Results Three items (29, 30, 32) had unacceptable fit to the Rasch unidimensional model. Item 14 displayed significant DIF for gender and items 8 and 17 for current mental state. Item estimates confirmed that not all items measure hypomania equally. Limitations This sample was recruited as part of a large ongoing genetic epidemiology study of bipolar disorder and may not be fully representative of the broader clinical population of individuals with bipolar disorder. Conclusion The HCL-32 is unidimensional in practice, but measurements may be further strengthened by the removal of four items. Re-scored linear measurements may be more appropriate for clinical research.

STRAINING ENGINEERING OF GRAPHENE AND GRAPHENE-BASED NANOSTRUCTURES

Graphene has emerged as an extraordinary material with its capability to accommodate an array of remarkable electronic, mechanical and chemical properties. Extra-large surface-to-volume ratio renders graphene a highly flexible morphology, giving rise to intriguing observations such as ripples, wrinkles and folds as well as the potential to transform into other novel carbon nanostructures. Ultra-thin, mechanically tough, electrically conductive graphene films promise to enable a wealth of possible applications ranging from hydrogen storage scaffolds, electronic transistors, to bottom-up material designs. Enthusiasm for graphene-based applications aside, there are still significant challenges to their realization, largely due to the difficulty of precisely controlling the graphene properties. Controlling the graphene morphology over large areas is crucial in enabling future graphene-based applications and material design. This dissertation aims to shed lights on potential mechanisms to actively manipulate the graphene morphology and properties and therefore enable the material design principle that delivers desirable mechanical and electronic functionalities of graphene and its derivatives.

Caracterizaci?n te?rica-pr?ctica de las acciones t?cticas m?s importantes del f?tbol sala a partir de experiencias vividas

Esta monograf?a es una mirada b?sica de las cualidades t?cnico t?cticas en la modalidad deportiva F?tbol sala, la cual a partir de experiencias vividas pretende resaltar la importancia y diferencia de sus esquemas t?cticos y virtudes t?cnico-t?cticas de sus jugadores. Siendo el F?tbol sala un deporte pr?cticamente reci?n avalado en Colombia, la capacidad para el manejo de orden estrat?gico se va desarrollando de la mejor manera, implement?ndose inicialmente en la poblaci?n Universitaria y logrando vincular a nuestro pa?s a un nivel de profesionalismo, alcanzando buenos resultados de tipo nacional e internacional. A diferencia del f?tbol, el f?tbol sala se juega con 5 jugadores en campo y m?ximo 7 en banca. Se utiliza un bal?n de dimensiones m?s peque?as que hace que este deporte sea un deporte mucho m?s explosivo y de constante movimiento. Dentro del mismo podemos encontrar unos esquemas o patrones t?cticos que facilitan el juego, como por ejemplo, patr?n circular, patr?n de medio, cambio de ala por p?vot, entre otros. El f?tbol sala se caracteriza por ser un deporte en el que todos los jugadores deben cumplir tanto funciones defensivas como ofensivas. Por esto, es fundamental hacer un trabajo completo pues es dif?cil encontrar jugadores que cumplan ambos requisitos.

SEEKING CULTURAL FAIRNESS IN A MEASURE OF RELATIONAL REASONING

Relational reasoning, or the ability to identify meaningful patterns within any stream of information, is a fundamental cognitive ability associated with academic success across a variety of domains of learning and levels of schooling. However, the measurement of this construct has been historically problematic. For example, while the construct is typically described as multidimensional—including the identification of multiple types of higher-order patterns—it is most often measured in terms of a single type of pattern: analogy. For that reason, the Test of Relational Reasoning (TORR) was conceived and developed to include three other types of patterns that appear to be meaningful in the educational context: anomaly, antinomy, and antithesis. Moreover, as a way to focus on fluid relational reasoning ability, the TORR was developed to include, except for the directions, entirely visuo-spatial stimuli, which were designed to be as novel as possible for the participant. By focusing on fluid intellectual processing, the TORR was also developed to be fairly administered to undergraduate students—regardless of the particular gender, language, and ethnic groups they belong to. However, although some psychometric investigations of the TORR have been conducted, its actual fairness across those demographic groups has yet to be empirically demonstrated. Therefore, a systematic investigation of differential-item-functioning (DIF) across demographic groups on TORR items was conducted. A large (N = 1,379) sample, representative of the University of Maryland on key demographic variables, was collected, and the resulting data was analyzed using a multi-group, multidimensional item-response theory model comparison procedure. Using this procedure, no significant DIF was found on any of the TORR items across any of the demographic groups of interest. This null finding is interpreted as evidence of the cultural-fairness of the TORR, and potential test-development choices that may have contributed to that cultural-fairness are discussed. For example, the choice to make the TORR an untimed measure, to use novel stimuli, and to avoid stereotype threat in test administration, may have contributed to its cultural-fairness. Future steps for psychometric research on the TORR, and substantive research utilizing the TORR, are also presented and discussed.

Mejoramiento de la pronunciaci?n de la lengua inglesa de los estudiantes de primer semestre del programa de lenguas extranjeras de la universidad Santiago de Cali a trav?s de la ense?anza fon?tica [recurso electr?nico]

Este trabajo, que est? enmarcado en la metodolog?a mixta, (Brewer, 1989) en la que se combinan el reporte y la recolecci?n de datos de manera concurrente (QUAL + QUANT, QUANT + CUAL) con un dise?o cuasi experimental; presenta una intervenci?n pedag?gica realizada con 17 estudiantes del periodo 2015-A de la Licenciatura en Lenguas Extranjeras Ingl?s-Franc?s de la Universidad Santiago de Cali (USC), con la cual se pretende mejorar la pronunciaci?n de los estudiantes mencionados a trav?s de la ense?anza de la fon?tica en especial de los fonemas / ? /, / ? /, / ? /, / ?:/ los cuales despu?s de unos procesos de pilotajes previos que iniciaron en el a?o 2008, fueron determinados como aquellos de los m?s dif?ciles de percibir y producir para los hispanoparlantes y en especial para los estudiantes sujetos de este estudio. Durante la intervenci?n se realiz? una encuesta para caracterizar a los estudiantes, una prueba de entrada que tambi?n fue la de salida y la intervenci?n como tal que tuvo un total de 13 sesiones de clase. El an?lisis de los resultados fue realizado por el investigador y dos profesores nativos americanos que han estudiado y ense?ado fon?tica en diferentes espacios acad?micos entre ellos la Universidad Santiago de Cali, y al final se cruz? esta informaci?n con una prueba de concordancia que en ?ltimas refleja el nivel de aprendizaje de los participantes.

Perception of health benefits of dietary fibre among the Portuguese population

Introduction: Dietary iber (DF) has been part of human diet since ever, and its beneits for the human health have been well estab-lished and scientiically conirmed. Among these stand improved gastrointestinal functions, prevent cholesterol, diabetes or CVD. Objectives: To study the level of knowledge of people residing in Portugal about the health effects related to an adequate ingestion of DF. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 adults residing in Portugal. The questionnaire included a section about the socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender, level of education and living environ- ment) and another about the relation between dietary iber and possible beneicial effects to treat and prevent diseases. The data was treated using the SPSS software (V22). Results: The results allowed concluding that people were dif- ferently informed about the effects of DF in preventing and/or treating different diseases, being constipation the most recog- nized, followed in decreasing order by obesity, bowel cancer, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and breast can- cer. The results also showed that signiicant differences were encountered between age groups for most of the diseases evalu- ated, but not between genders, levels of education or living en- vironments. Conclusions: Generally, it was concluded that the participants in this study were relatively well informed about the roles of DF in preventing and/or treating various diseases.