Bioculture Journal
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Brown Induction and Red/Green Hue Shifts
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018This body of work details a number of experiments relating to brown induction (the change of appearance of a stimulus from yellow to brown) and shifts in red/green hue balance (the balance point of stimuli across the yellow-blue spectrum where they appear neither reddish nor greenish). These experiment involve variations of targets and their surrounding stimuli in the dimensions of luminance, saturation, and hue, as well as variations in the manner of their optical presentation (monocular [stimulus only in one eye], binocular [same stimulus both eyes], or dichoptic [different stimuli in each eye] presentations). It was found that brown induction is strongest for stimuli that are sufficiently darker than their surround and slightly desaturated. Although brown stimuli show a systematic shift in their red/green balance compared to yellow stimuli this appears to be controlled by a separate mechanism that is present for all targets that vary along the yellow-blue spectrum (including achromatic gray targets) when they are darker than their surrounds. It was also found that brown induction can occur both prior to and after the cortical combination of signals from the two eyes (in both monocular and binocular pathways, respectively), showing an enhancement from perceptually contiguous bright surrounds presented in either the same or opposite eye as a target. No similar effect was observed for red/green balances, which appear to be influenced only in monocular pathways and have a different relationship with surround contiguity. There are also differences in the effects of target and surround size on brown induction compared to red/green balance shifts. Brown represents a categorical hue change from yellow that is usually accompanied by a red/green balance shift, but such red/green balance shifts can also occur independently of a categorical hue changes as seen with achromatic gray stimuli. These many differences between brown induction and red/green balance shifts suggest that they are two separate phenomena that can co-occur but are not directly related, suggesting different neural mechanisms for each. In addition to academic significance, understanding and accurately modeling these effects is increasingly important for issues related to both human and machine vision
OVARYACTING by Bridget McKevitt “A Solo Performance of My Own Design”
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2018“Stop joking around and act your age!” is a complaint that I’ve heard, somewhat like a broken record, my entire life. I often wonder, how does a woman my age act, exactly? If you prick us, do we not bleed? Some believe, as the saying goes, “There is a grain of truth in every joke,” or “a joke is truth wrapped in a smile.” But is there really truth in every joke? The purpose behind creating my solo performance was to explore whether or not there is; theorizing that when you add comedy to drama it becomes more human.Stop joking around and act your age!” is a complaint that I’ve heard, somewhat like a broken record, my entire life. I often wonder, how does a woman my age act, exactly? If you prick us, do we not bleed? Over 50 percent of the population menstruates, has menstruated, or will menstruate. Stigmatizing menstruation creates a culture where cisgender men are able to go about the world without censoring themselves, while everyone for whom periods are a part of everyday life has to worry about both what they talk about and what they're logistically able to do given the lack of accommodations for menstruating people. Women are only human. We fart. And urinate and defecate and bleed. And I want to talk about it. As the saying goes, “There is a grain of truth in every joke,” or “a joke is truth wrapped in a smile.” But is there really truth in every joke? The purpose behind creating my solo performance was to explore whether or not there is; theorizing that when you add comedy to drama it becomes more human
Nonparametric inference on monotone functions, with applications to observational studies
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018In this dissertation, we study general strategies for constructing nonparametric monotone function estimators in two broad statistical settings. In the first setting, a sensible initial estimator of the monotone function of interest is available, but may fail to be monotone. We study the correction of such an estimator obtained via projection onto the space of functions monotone over a finite grid in the domain. We demonstrate that this corrected estimator is always at least as good in supremum norm as the initial estimator, and provide conditions under which the two estimators are asymptotically equivalent. In the second setting, a sensible estimator of the primitive of the function of interest is available. In this setting, estimators considered in the literature have often been of so-called Grenander type, being representable as the left derivative of the greatest convex minorant of the primitive estimator. We provide general conditions for consistency and pointwise convergence in distribution of a class of generalized Grenander-type estimators. This broad class allows the minorization operation to be performed on a data-dependent transformation of the domain. We use our general results from the second setting to perform a detailed study of generalized Grenander-type estimation of a monotone covariate-adjusted regression curve, which describes the effect of a continuous exposure on an outcome while adjusting for potential confounders. In particular, we show how our results can be used to conduct doubly-robust inference for this parameter
Are We Living in the Racial Capitalocene?: Anthropocene Discourse, Racial Capitalism, and Ta-Nehisi Coates’ "Between the World and Me"
No full textAs global temperatures continue to increase, it becomes clear that we are living in an era of human-induced climate shift. This era has commonly been labelled the “Anthropocene” in both the sciences and the humanities, a name that invokes the “human” as the force of geological change. In my project, I investigate the question, “How does Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me problematize the conception of the ‘human’ in ‘Anthropocene’ narratives?” This “Anthropocene” discourse, I suggest, posits the “human” as a universal geological force, therein distorting our understandings of how capitalism and racism are linked in the history of “modernity” and precluding our ability to recognize differential responsibility for climate shift. Literature like Coates’ Between the World and Me, I suggest, can problematize these dominant, universalizing understandings through a simultaneous critical attunement to histories of domination and oppression and an artistic mediation of daily, lived experience of climate change
Questions of Gesture and Sound: Temporal Interactions in Conducted Ensembles, a Multiple Study Dissertation
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018Introduction: The purpose of this dissertation is to contribute to the body of research that has investigated conducting in musical contexts, especially instrumental ensembles. This dissertation contains three papers on the topic of conducting, including one literature review and two quantitative studies. While the central focus of this dissertation is instrumental ensemble conducting, the manifestations of entrainment and the performer’s interactions with aural and visual stimuli emerge as consistent themes throughout. A brief summary of each paper in the dissertation is provided below. Paper One: This review contextualizes empirical literature and existing conducting pedagogy, focusing on the role of the conductor in ensemble coordination and expressive communication. The paper organizes its findings thematically, highlighting the conductor’s twin roles of coordination and expressivity through gesture. Through synthesis of research and pedagogical literature, I highlight that both conductor and ensemble are responsible for ensemble coordination and cohesion through the interlinked processes of visual and aural entrainment. The paper also provides implications for conducting pedagogues, practitioners, and future music researchers. Paper Two: The purpose of this study is to investigate the nature of ensemble response to conductor gesture from a temporal perspective. I examine the general tendencies of sonic offset from conductor gesture, as well as differences between ensemble type (orchestra, wind band), ensemble experience level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), and development over time. Findings reveal a general tendency for ensembles to lag behind the conductor’s gesture, but I identify that this lag is dynamic and demonstrates change between ensembles, between experience levels, and over the course of a selected excerpt. Additionally, I identify performance tempo and phrase structure as contributing factors in the variance observed. PaperThree: Thedissertationauthoristheprimaryauthorofthispaper,joinedbyco-authors Steven J. Morrison and Deborah H. Confredo. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of action-sound congruence on perceptions of conductor efficacy. Through a quasi-experimental design, musicians (N = 110) evaluated ten videos of conductors during concert performance. Some of these videos were manipulated to offset audio and video by percentage of the ensemble's tempo (no offset, ±15%, ±30%) that would not register as unsynchronized with viewers. The videos appeared in one of five fully-crossed stimuli orders for evaluation. Participants evaluated offset of any kind as negative when compared with unaltered performance and identified greater offset values as more negative overall. Within this study conductor evaluations were generally more negative than ensemble evaluations
Understanding the role and regulation of TTBK1/2 during neurodegenerative disease progression
No full textThesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2018A number of neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the deposition of abnormally phosphorylated tau or TDP-43 in disease-affected neurons. Recent studies have suggested that phosphorylated species of tau and TDP-43 may be the driver behind neurodegeneration in these diseases. A screen for novel TDP-43 kinases identified the Tau Tubulin Kinases 1 and 2 (TTBK1/2), a pair of kinases that were originally characterized by their ability to phosphorylate tau. The function and regulation of TTBK1/2 in adult brain is unknown and there is no current understanding of what role they may play in disease progression. Preliminary studies show increased expression of TTBK1/2 in FTLD-TDP and ALS brain tissue, indicating that the TTBKs may be misregulated during disease. In this body of work, I followed up on these initial findings. I show that co-expression of TDP-43 and TTBK1 and co-expression of tau with both TTBK1 and TTBK2 in C. elegans causes exacerbation of behavioral abnormalities, increased pathological protein phosphorylation, and aberrant neuronal architecture and loss. I also show that TTBK1 is upregulated and processed in a number of tauopathies including FTLD, PSP, CBD, and Pick’s disease. Lastly, I identified an array of proteins that interact with the various domains of both TTBK1 and TTBK2 and may be potential regulators of kinase activity or provide insight into the role that TTBK1/2 play in the brain. These findings have expanded our understanding of the way that TTBK1/2 function and has the potential to lead to the development of targeted therapies for both tau and TDP-43 proteinopathies
Incorporating an otolith-derived environmental index into growth for stock assessment models
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017-06Growth is one of the key demographic processes for population dynamics. There is a growing body of literature showing that growth in fish is plastic over time, and affected by climate variability. However, time-varying indices of growth variation are not often incorporated into stock assessment models, on which fishery management advice is based, and growth is often estimated with time-invariant parameters or incorporating annual variation without an explicit growth model. This is due to a lack of a general framework for deciding when and whether to incorporate indices of time-varying individual growth into an assessment model, and of a general understanding of its mechanistic drivers. In this thesis, I developed a framework to evaluate the suitability of incorporating a time-varying growth index into a stock assessment model, and use risk analysis to evaluate its management-related advantages and shortcomings. I then developed a nonlinear mixed-effects model that estimates a time-varying growth index from otolith increment data, while also allowing for random individual effects. Including an accurate time-varying growth index generally is expected to improve estimates of spawning stock biomass and recruitment in a stock assessment, while a relatively small number of otoliths is required to attain such a level of accuracy when estimating the random year effects. The simulation framework described in this thesis can be applied across multiple stocks, to further our understanding of the effects of modelling time-varying growth on population dynamics
Health Sector Capacity to Manage Climate Change in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Perspectives from Key Stakeholders
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017-06Rationale: Climate change in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is leading to increases in temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns, a trend that is expected to accelerate in the coming decades. Weather unpredictability has become the norm resulting in an increase in frequently and intensity of extreme weather events, particularly floods and drought. Climate change and variability in Lao PDR has both direct and indirect impacts on human health and puts added strain on the health system. Objective: This mixed methods study aims to assess the perceptions of climate change and its impacts on the health system in Lao PDR from key stakeholders in health and other relevant institutions and government ministries, as well as identify the barriers and opportunities of the health sector capacity to manage climate change in the coming decades. Methods: Using a structured questionnaire (n=26) and semi-structured in-depth interviews (n=7), this study collected data on how key stakeholders view the health sector capacity to manage climate change in Lao PDR. Descriptive statistics from quantitative data were computed, described, and compared based on predefined themes. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using Dedoose. Results: 88% of participants think climate change is occurring in Lao PDR and 69.2% reported they felt health facilities were somewhat prepared for a flood event. Themes from the interviews revolved around limited human resources and budget as a major barrier to implementing climate change and health adaptation programs with improved coordination as the most viable opportunity. Conclusion: Most study participants had some understanding of climate change and its impact on health in Lao PDR, resulting in a high level of confidence in the health sectors capacity to manage climate change. Moving forward, coordination across sectors will be key in the development of successful climate and health adaptation programs in Lao PDR. Keywords: Climate change adaptation, climate and health, Lao PD
Tissue Tracking and Motion Compensation for Robotic Surgery
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017-06The ability to negate tissue motion without complex physical constraints would greatly benefit beating heart surgery, procedures where respiration causes tissue movement, and in the case of physically unstable operating environments such as a battlefield, moving vehicle, or space station. Using a calibrated stereo camera, it is possible to measure the 3D position of an object with relation to any known frame, and subsequently its motion. A method has been developed and implemented with the RAVEN TM1 surgical research robot for tracking and compensating for tissue motion with the goal of uncovering future research directions which will lead to real-time implementation of this technology. Results reveal insights regarding algorithm optimization, robot hardware limits, and the likelihood that the methods used are capable of operating in real-time with adequate computer hardware utilization
(un)Finished: Pattern Language for Human-Centric Architectural Evolution
No full textThesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2017All design projects- infrastructure, architecture, furniture- are, by nature, unfinished. Buildings and built spaces are initially designed and constructed to meet a specific set of needs, typically as laid out by a client, but may eventually be adapted to accommodate new programs, occupants, urban environments, or technologies. Unless these things (program, occupancy, cultural requirements) remain static, eventually the building will need to evolve. While the process of construction is linear, the continued use and perceived ‘success’ of a built project relies on its ability to adapt to the changing needs of its occupants, whether that adaptation happens as a part of the original design or an applied change post construction. Despite the prevailing attitude that once a building is constructed it is ‘finished’, this thesis argues that post-occupancy adaptations, detailing, and design provisions for future flexible needs are what make a building complete. A well finished space both acknowledges the human scaled needs of its occupants as well as adapting to the programmatic shifts that may take place in the future. While this may not be an argument that pertains to the whole of the built environments, certain spaces, particularly public institutions and educational facilities frequently demonstrate this occurrence. Architecture is not simply a box filled with things, but rather, a structure that is both inhabitable and engaging, flexible and growing, adaptive and responsive to its occupants and environment, growing with generations. Using methods of observation and survey, this thesis examines structures that have undergone post-construction changes in the Seattle area and assess their perceived level of ‘completion’ as well as the perceived ‘success’ of the building. By the central argument that all design projects are unfinished, these are simply current iterations and will evolve again in the future, yet they offer lessons on built relationships and adaptive design that can be studied and applied to other, less complete projects. Drawing on the work of Christopher Alexander’s Pattern Language, this thesis has developed a set of fifty areas of opportunity for design evolution that focuses on the human occupant. These patterns are not meant as a ‘cookbook’ of design but rather observations in how buildings speak to their designers and occupants about what they were, what they are, and what they want to be. In understanding that architecture is never truly finished, and that all buildings are simply in line for their next iteration, it suggests a method of crafting a more sustainable future for the way we design