140 research outputs found
The Fragmented Identity of the Yucatecan People in Joaquín Bestard Vázquez’s Un tigre con ojos de jade (The Jaguar with Eyes of Jade)/La identidad fragmentada de la gente yucateca: Un tigre con ojos de jade por Joaquín Bestard Vázquez
No full textIn October of 2004, the Yucatecan author Joaquín Bestard Vázquez came full circle when he republished his first novel Un tigre con ojos de jade, initially released to the public in 1966. The original text, written to commemorate the impact of the Maya-Yucatecan culture on Bestard’s life, was harshly criticized by the editors in Mexico City. In order to publish the first edition, Bestard removed all direct references to the Mayan culture, such as the indigenous words and ancient traditions, which subtracted from the impact of the novel. Four decades and more than sixteen novels and eighty short stories later, Bestard republished the original version in the newspaper ¡POR ESTO! of his birth city Mérida, Yucatán. The novel reflects the journey of an anonymous old man who sets out on his last hunting trip in search of game as well as his own identity. This thesis analyzes the complex identity of the novel’s characters, the fragmentation of identity caused by the modern social structure of Yucatán, and the circularity inherent in the text. These elements reflect the culture of Yucatán, depicted in the historical events and cultural practices that make up the fragmented identity
Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression in Parkinson's disease
No full textStudies have shown depression to affect up to 50% of individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and to have a negative impact on the progression of the illness. However, there is a dearth of research on psychosocial interventions for the treatment of depression in this population. To date, the utility of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), an evidence-based treatment for depression with demonstrated effectiveness in medical populations, has not been examined for this population. This case series was conducted to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for depression in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Three PD patients with Major Depressive Disorder or Dysthymia participated in the study along with a caregiver. Patients received 6 to 15 sessions of IPT primarily focused on resolving the interpersonal problem area of role transition. Caregivers attended 1 to 2 sessions which provided psychoeducation and garnered necessary supports to help patients accomplish their treatment goals. Two of the patients experienced improvement in depressive symptoms, particularly in mood, interest and motivation in activities, with gains maintained at 1-month follow-up. There was some evidence of reductions in caregiver burden as a result of the intervention, though no significant change in caregiver depressive symptoms was noted. Results of this case series suggest that IPT may be a feasible and effective option for the treatment of PD depression. Larger, controlled trials are needed to replicate these results and to further evaluate the efficacy of this intervention.Psy. D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Jade T. Rubin
FINAL REPORT OF THE JADE HUMAN-COMPUTER SYSTEMS GROUP
No full textThis report summarises the participation of the Human-Computer Systems
(HCS) group members in the Jade project which ran from
November 1982 to October 1985. On the downside: (a) the Jade
HCS group comprised mostly people with no HCS experience; (b) conflicting
goals within Jade dictated a split within the project that
re-inforced a natural division of interests; (c) restricted resources and
necessary priorities meant the allocation of effort to the HCS work was
low; (d) speedy implementation dictated avoidance of just those
problems that would stimulate research; (e) it proved impossible to
produce an objective definition of the user and the user's needs; (f) the
group did not press hard for tools development within Jade. On
the upside: (a) the group promoted communication by open meetings and a
willingness to consider all viewpoints; (b) a pragmatic approach was
adopted to problems of conflict; (c) significant new research was carried
out into a variety of diverse and important problems under the umbrella
of the Multimedia Adaptive Workstation for the Disabled (MAWD)
project; (d) an excellent Jade User Manual was produced; (e) a
succinct statement of practical dialogue design principles was laid
down; (f) significant extra funding was generated (76,000) and (g) a
number of refereed research publications were published together with
a variety of internal reports. The HCS group experience was very similar
to that reported by similar groups involved in similar projects. The
problem of the programmer as a user remains an unsolved problem.
Jade itself has been a big experiment, and we are still collecting
data.We are currently acquiring citations for the work deposited into this collection. We recognize the distribution rights of this item may have been assigned to another entity, other than the author(s) of the work.If you can provide the citation for this work or you think you own the distribution rights to this work please contact the Institutional Repository Administrator at [email protected]
Correct-by-construction finite field arithmetic in Coq
No full textThesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2018.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 73-74).Elliptic-curve cryptography code, although based on elegant and concise mathematical procedures, often becomes long and complex due to speed optimizations. This statement is especially true for the specialized finite-field libraries used for ECC code, resulting in frequent implementation bugs. I describe the methodologies used to create a Coq framework that generates implementations of finite-field arithmetic routines along with proofs of their correctness, given nothing but the modulus.by Jade Philipoom.M. Eng
PELAKSANAAN BONGKAR MUAT DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN CRANE KAPAL DI MV. ORIENTAL JADE
Get PDFABSTRACT
Danang W. Pertama, 2018, NIT. 50134776 N, “Implementation of loading and
unloading using a ship's crane in MV. Oriental Jade”, Program D IV,
Semarang Merchant Marine Polytechnic, Lecture I: Capt. Eko
Murdiyanto, M.Pd M.Mar, Lecture II: Vega Fonsula Andromeda,
S.St.,S.Pd
Implementation of loading and unloading using a ship's crane must be
carried out properly and handling loads that exceed SWL crane vessels. On this
basis the author formulates the problem of how the loading and unloading
practices using the ship's crane in MV. Oriental Jade and what if the load exceeds
the SWL crane of the ship. The method used in this study is a qualitative method
that produces descriptive data in the form of written words from people and
observed behavior. In this case collecting data in the form of approach to the
object through observation, interview directly to the subject and using documents
and data related to the implementation of loading and unloading by using a ship
crane.
Based on the results of research conducted during the screen practice
author in MV. Oriental Jade on loading and unloading activities using a ship's
crane found problems encompassing crane preparations that were too long,
unloading tools partly improper, wirerope worn out. In loading and unloading
operations, the load exceeds the SWL crane and consequently the charge can not
be lifted by a crane so that two cranes are combined so that the load is not too
heavy and the load raised with HMC (Harbor Mobile Crane).
With good preparation before loading and unloading by using crane
determine the smooth and not implementation of loading and unloading. If on the
ground there is HMC (Harbor Mobile Crane) better to use HMC (Harbor Mobile
Crane) instead of using ship crane, because HMC (Harbor Mobile Crane) has
larger SWL than ship crane and to be safer to minimize work accident and protect
ship crew and payload.
Keywords: Loading and unloading, Ship crane, SWL cran
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Optimising Surveillance and the Delivery of Targeted Interventions to Achieve Malaria Elimination in Eastern Myanmar
Get PDFMalaria elimination is possible with the existing tools, however, control efforts must be accelerated while these tools remain effective due to the emergence and spread of antimalarial-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites. The timely collection and analysis of surveillance data allow programs to monitor and respond to decreases in the early uptake of diagnosis and treatment services and increases in incidence and is, therefore, essential in delivering an effective malaria elimination strategy. This thesis describes the collection and analysis of surveillance data used to support the operation of 1,261 malaria posts in the Malaria Elimination Task Force (METF) program in Karen State, Myanmar.
Since the commencement of the METF program, there have been significant declines in P. falciparum incidence across Karen State, malaria testing rates have remained stable, and the majority of individuals have continued to seek malaria testing within 48 hours of fever onset. This has all been possible in an area of political and geographic complexity and during periods of disruption (COVID-19 village lockdowns in 2020 and the ongoing military coup in Myanmar, which began in 2021). These findings highlight the importance of accessible, village-based malaria posts and ongoing community engagement activities to maintain service uptake as malaria incidence declines.
With declines in P. falciparum incidence, the emergence of high transmission foci has prevented local elimination. In the central West of Northern Karen State, persistent foci in 2021 were identified using a data-driven approach utilising routinely collected surveillance data. Additional targeted interventions can accelerate elimination efforts in these hard-to-control areas. However, the effectiveness of these interventions is likely determined by a range of context-specific factors.
Despite the many obstacles, the delivery of an effective malaria elimination program can be supported by the continued collection and utilisation of detailed surveillance data, which promote the acceleration of malaria elimination efforts in Karen State and globally
Predicting the Swap Spread with a Dynamic Nelson-Siegel Model: A Novel Approach to Predict the Spread between Two Correlated Interest Rates
No full textThis thesis aims to develop a methodology for predicting the swap spread, which is defined as the difference between the German government bond interest rate and the Euribor swap rate. Thus far, the prediction of interest rates is limited to the prediction of a single interest rate. This thesis introduces the simultaneous prediction of the spread between two correlated interest rate curves. The methodology developed in this thesis considers the dependence between the bond rate and the swap rate. The study utilizes a Dynamic Nelson-Siegel (DNS) model, which is extended to incorporate the correlation between these two rates. The simulation studies reveal that the variants simultaneously predicting both the swap and bond rates using a restricted VAR(1) model for factor dynamics outperform the other variants in predicting the swap spread. Another important aspect considered is the stationarity of the latent factors. The simulation studies demonstrate that the stationarity of the empirical DNS factors accurately represents the stationarity of the true DNS factors. This motivates the reformulation of the DNS model into a new variant where the first-order differences of both the swap and bond rate latent factors are modeled by a restricted VAR(1) model.A case study validates the developed new variant of the DNS model, demonstrating predictions for the swap and bond curves that have an accuracy comparable to the accuracy of the benchmark model. The key advantage of the DNS model over this benchmark model is that the DNS model predicts the swap curve and bond curve over the whole maturity spectrum. The prediction over the whole maturity spectrum is crucial to compute the spread between the two rates, which emphasizes the relevance of the new model presented in this thesis.Applied Mathematic
Expression and function of osteopontin variants in HCV-related liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Get PDFOsteopontin (OPN) is a highly secreted multi-functional sialoprotein that is widely expressed in tissues, blood and urine. It is involved in a number of normal physiological functions, but is also significantly elevated in a number of cancers. While OPN is significantly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) little is known as to its role and if it is expressed in the pre-cancerous hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected liver. In this thesis we show that OPN is expressed in the liver and in HCC as three variants, the full-length protein OPN-A and two splice variants OPN-B and OPN-C. Through production of stable Huh-7 cells expressing the OPN variants, we show for the first time that all variants increase proliferation of a range of cultured hepatoma cell lines in a paracrine manner through
interactions with the cell surface OPN receptor CD44. Similarly, OPN-A (and to a lesser extent OPN-B and –C) accelerated Huh-7 derived tumor growth in a nude mouse model. We also show for the first time expression of all three OPN variants in the non-diseased liver as it was previously thought that splicing was a feature specific for tumor cells. Clinically, OPN is known to be highly expressed in HCC, however, its expression in chronic hepatitis C is not well documented. In this thesis we show that OPN mRNA expression is elevated in the HCV-infected liver with a trend towards increased expression as liver disease progresses. Consistent with an increase in mRNA, serum OPN levels were also increased in the HCV-infected liver although we could find no correlation with degree of liver disease. However, our sample size was small and this section of the thesis needs repeating with a larger HCV-infected patient cohort. Furthermore, we show that elevated OPN expression is not specific to the HCV-infected liver as OPN is also elevated in the HBV-infected and alcoholic liver suggesting that HCV does not drive OPN expression but is more likely as a result of the inflammatory process in the viral infected liver. Interestingly we also show that there is a shift of OPN expression from bile duct epithelial cells in the non-diseased liver to the hepatocyte in the HCV-infected liver which raises the question as to the role of OPN in hepatocyte transformation to facilitate the development of HCC. Our evaluation of serum OPN expression also suggests that OPN has potential as both a diagnostic and potentially prognostic biomarker for not only HCC (arising from HBV and HCV infections and alcohol abuse) but also the earlier stages of HCV-related liver disease. This work for the first time characterises the expression of all OPN variants in the liver including HCC and may be useful for identifying targeted OPN-based therapeutic approaches for HCC and other cancers. Furthermore it also suggests that monitoring OPN in chronic hepatitis C may be
useful in monitoring liver disease progression and early detection of HCC.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Molecular and Biomedical Science, 201
The influence of age-policy changes on the relative age effect across the Australian Rules football talent pathway
Get PDFObjectives:
To identify the influence of age-policy changes on the relative age effect (RAE) across the Australian Football League (AFL) talent pathway.
Design:
Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of junior AFL players attending the National Draft (National), State, and State Under 16s (U16) combines between 1999–2016.
Methods:
Birth-date data was obtained for players attending the AFL State U16 (n = 663, age: 15.9 ± 0.4 years), State (n = 803, age: 19.1 ± 1.7 years), National (n = 1111, age: 18.3 ± 0.8 years) combines. Corresponding aged-matched Australian general population birth rate data was also collected.
Results:
A chi-squared analysis comparing birth month distributions found all combine groups differed significantly from the general population (Under 16s: χ2 = 62.61, State: χ2 = 38.83, National: χ2 = 129.13, p < 0.001). Specifically, Under 16s had greater birth frequencies for months January to March (≥2%, p < 0.05), with more State players born in January (4.9%, p < 0.05). Age-policy changes at the National level reduced birth distribution bias for some months, however the RAE remained for March, June and July (3.9%, 6.1%, 4.3%, p < 0.05). State U16s and National players had 2–9% lower birth frequencies for November–December births compared general population.
Conclusions:
Selection bias exists towards older players is present at the AFL’s State U16, and is maintained at State and National level combines. Age-policy changes are only partially successful at addressing the RAE at the National level, with alternative strategies also recommended in order to address the RAE across the AFL talent pathways.No Full Tex
Demonstrating effective all-optical processing in ultrafast data networks using semiconductor optical amplifiers
Get PDFThesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references.The demand for bandwidth in worldwide data networks continues to increase due to growing Internet use and high-bandwidth applications such as video. All-optical signal processing is one promising technique for providing the necessary capacity and offers payload transparency, power consumption which scales efficiently with increasing bit rates, reduced processing latency, and ultrafast performance. In this thesis, we focus on using semiconductor optical amplifier-based logic gates to address both routing and regeneration needs in ultrafast data networks. To address routing needs, we demonstrate a scalable, multi-packet all-optical header processing unit operating at a line rate of 40 Gb/s. For this experiment, we used the ultrafast nonlinear interferometer (UNI) gate, a discrete optical logic gate which has been demonstrated at speeds of 100 Gb/s for bit-wise switching. However, for all-optical switching to become a reality, integration is necessary to significantly reduce the cost of manufacturing, installation, and operation. One promising integrated all-optical logic gate is the semiconductor optical amplifier Mach-Zehnder interferometer (SOA-MZI). This gate has previously been demonstrated capable of up to 80 Gb/s bit-wise switching operation. To enable simple installation and operation of this gate, we developed a performance optimization method which can quickly and accurately pinpoint the optimal operating point of the switch. This eliminates the need for a time-intensive search over a large parameter space and significantly simplifies the operation of the switch. With this method, we demonstrate the ability of a single SOA-MZI logic gate to regenerate ultrafast pulses over 100 passes and 10,000 km in a regenerative loop. Ultimately, all-optical logic gates must be integrated on a single low-cost platform and demonstrated in cascaded, multi-gate operation for increased functionality.(cont.) This requires low-loss monolithic integration. Our approach to this involves an asymmetric twin waveguide (ATG) design. This design also has the potential for high-yields as a result of a high tolerance for fabrication errors. We present our characterization results of ATG waveguides and proposals for future improvements.by Jade P. Wang.Ph.D
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