The Anticipated Sectoral Impact of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement: An Event Study Analysis

In this paper, a stock market event study is employed to investigate investors' expectations about the consequences of the Canada-U. S. Free Trade Agreement for manufacturing industries in Canada. The author finds that industry-level abnormal returns corresponding to only one event, reaching the agreement in October 1987, are jointly significant and consistent with prior hypotheses about the impact of the agreement. Although only a few of these abnormal returns are statistically significant, all of them have the anticipated signs and some are quite large, suggesting substantial profits and losses during the adjustment to free trade.Research Seminar in International Economics, Department of Economics, University of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101013/1/ECON452.pd

Trade Liberalization and Stock Prices: Evidence from the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement

Two primary questions will be addressed in this paper. The first is whether invetors' expectations of the conseuences of the FTA were consistent with the price version of the H-O hypothesis. In other words, did relative factor prices play a role in determining investors' perceptions of comparative advantage? The second questions is whether firms operating in industries where the average plant scale is small relative to the corresponding U.S. industries were expected to experience losses as a result of the FTA. This may be interpreted as a sign that the industry was expected to rationalize.Research Seminar in International Economics, Department of Economics, University of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/101014/1/ECON453.pd

The Emotional Intelligence and Resilience of School Leaders: An Investigation into Leadership Behaviors

Recent research suggests that leadership in schools and emotional intelligence are related. Furthermore, resiliency has been researched and found to be linked to successful leadership. As a result of these findings and the researcher\u27s own professional experiences, it is speculated that emotional intelligence, resilience, and school leadership may be highly related factors in how one leads a school. The study of this three-factor relationship has been virtually overlooked in the research on school leadership and might prove useful in the recruitment, identification, development, and retention of effective school leaders. A study of the emotional intelligence, resilience, and leadership of public school principals was conducted. The sample participants consisted of 63 public school principals and their respective professional colleagues who were from five states— Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. A statistical analysis and findings of this study examining the relationships among emotional intelligence, resilience, and school leadership are presented. There was a significant positive relationship found between self-reported emotional intelligence and resilience among school principals. When school leadership was entered into this model of significance, the relationship became stronger, thus indicating that school leadership played a significantly positive role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and resilience among school principals in this sample. In addition, a principal\u27s general mood, as measured by the Bar- On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) was a significant predictor of resilience. Finally, further investigation confirmed past studies which indicated a strong positive relationship between a school principal\u27s emotional intelligence and leadership. Specifically, the strong relationship was found to be between the principal\u27s self-perception of leadership and the Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Emotional Quotient (EQ) subscales on the EQ-i

Acoustic monitoring and response of katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) to the landscape mosaic in a Biosphere Reserve

Thesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.ENGLISH SUMMARY: A charismatic group within the Orthoptera, katydids can be found in a variety of habitat types world-wide due to their excellent bark and leaf mimicry skills. Most male katydids produce species-specific calls to attract female mates. If katydids, like their close relatives the grasshoppers, can function as effective biological indicators, then acoustic monitoring of katydid songs may result in a novel and non-invasive method to rapidly assess local biodiversity. Furthermore, information regarding threat statuses, distributions and life history traits can be inferred for all South African katydid species, leading to the development of a Katydid Biotic Index (KBI) based on the highly effective Dragonfly Biotic Index. If proven effective, the KBI would allow for biodiversity assessments to account for detailed aspects of katydid species composition in addition to the diversity measures normally utilized for biodiversity assessment (e.g. species richness and abundance). In this thesis, I provide the first steps towards determining whether the KBI could be an effective assessment technique. First I assess the utility of the KBI at a coarse-scale by determining its ability to identify regions of high conservation priority. Secondly, I conduct a fine scale study to determine the response of the katydid assemblage to habitat quality. And lastly, the first two aims are combined to determine whether the KBI is an appropriate method to assess habitat quality at a fine-scale. In Chapter 2, by using a subset of museum records, I investigate the distribution of the katydids within the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a global biodiversity hotspot. The katydids found within the CFR follow the same trends with regards to threat status, endemism and life history traits to the overall South African katydid assemblage. The KBI assessment method was able to select, at this coarse-scale, the ecosystems of conservation priority. For Chapters 3 and 4, the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (KBR) was selected as a study area as it allowed for the acoustic monitoring and direct comparison of katydid assemblages and responses across the core, buffer and transition zones through the use of passive recordings. In Chapter 3 I found that the katydids of the KBR are not complementary across the zones. However, they respond positively in terms of abundance to measured habitat quality when the entire assemblage is considered. In Chapter 4 I found that katydids responded towards coarse-scale habitat quality and they were not as sensitive towards habitat change as was expected. By including abundances of the katydid species in to the KBI calculations, the sensitivity of the KBI as an assessment method was improved. For this reason, katydids in the fynbos biome are likely to not be effective indicators of habitat change on a small scale, likely due to the surprisingly low diversity of katydid species in the KBR. However, if the KBI were to be tested out in forest patches or areas with higher diversity, the KBI may prove more promising. For these reasons, a rapid assessment technique based on the KBI is likely to be more appropriate for some habitat types over others.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Charismatiese groep binne die Orthoptera, sabel sprinkane, kan gevind word in 'n verskeidenheid van habitat tipes wêreldwyd as gevolg van hul uitstekende bas en blaar nabootsing vermoë. Die meeste manlike sabel sprinkane produseer spesie-spesifieke geluide om wyfies te lok. Indien sabel sprinkane, soos hul naasbestaandes die sprinkane, effektief as biologiese aanwysers funksioneer, kan akoestiese monitering van sabel sprinkaan geluide lei tot 'n unieke en nie-indringende metode om plaaslike biodiversiteit vinnig te evalueer. Verder, kan inligting rakende bedreiging statusse, verspreiding en lewensgeskiedenis eienskappe afgelei word vir alle Suid-Afrikaanse sabel sprinkaan spesies, wat kan lei tot die ontwikkeling van 'n Sabel Sprinkaan Biotiese Indeks (SBI) gebaseer op die hoogs doeltreffende Naaldekoker Biotiese Indeks (NBI). Indien dit as doeltreffend bewys word, sou die SBI voorsiening maak vir ‘n biodiversiteit assesseringsmetode om rekenskap te gee aan gedetailleerde aspekte van sabel sprinkaan spesiesamestelling bykomend tot die diversiteit maatreëls wat normaalweg gebruik word vir biodiversiteit assessering (bv. spesierykheid en volopheid). In hierdie tesis, wend ek die eerste poging aan om te bepaal of die SBI 'n effektiewe assessering tegniek kan wees. Ek het aanvanklik die gebruiklikheid van die SBI op 'n growwe skaal beoordeel deur die bepaling van die indeks se vermoë om areas van hoë prioriteit vir bewaring te identifiseer. In die tweede plek, doen ek 'n studie op ‘n fyn skaal om die reaksie van sabel sprinkaan spesiesamestelling tot habitat kwaliteit te bepaal. Laastens, is die eerste twee doelwitte gekombineer om te bepaal of die SBI 'n geskikte metode is om habitat kwaliteit te evalueer op 'n fyn skaal. In Hoofstuk 2, met die gebruik van ‘n gedeelte van museum rekords, ondersoek ek die verspreiding van sabel sprinkane binne die Kaapse Floristiese Streek (KFS), 'n globale biodiversiteit brandpunt. Die sabel sprinkane in die KFS volg dieselfde tendense met betrekking tot bedreiging status, endemisme en lewensgeskiedenis eienskappe in vergelyking met die algehele Suid-Afrikaanse sabel sprinkaan versameling. Die SBI assesseringsmetode was in staat, op hierdie growwe skaal, om die ekosisteme van prioriteit vir bewaring te selekteer. Vir Hoofstukke 3 en 4, is die Kogelberg Biosfeerreservaat (KBR) as studiegebied gekies omdat dit akoestiese monitering en direkte vergelyking van sabel sprinkaan spesiesamestelling en reaksies oor die kern, buffer en oorgang sones met gebruik van passiewe opnames toegelaat het. In Hoofstuk 3 het ek gevind dat die sabel sprinkane van die KBR nie aanvullende is oor die sones nie, maar hulle reageer positief in terme van volopheid gemeet teenoor habitat kwaliteit wanneer die hele spesiesamestelling in ag geneem word. In Hoofstuk 4 het ek bevind dat sabel sprinkane gereageer het teenoor growwe skaal habitat kwaliteit en hulle was nie so sensitief teenoor habitat verandering as wat verwag is nie. Deur die insluiting van volopheid van die sabel sprinkaan spesies in die SBI berekeninge is die sensitiwiteit van die SBI as 'n assesseringsmetode verbeter. Vir hierdie rede, is sabel springkane in die fynbos bioom geneig om nie doeltreffende aanduidings van habitat verandering op 'n klein skaal, waarskynlik as gevolg van die merkwaardige lae diversiteit van sabel sprinkaan spesies in die KBR. Maar, indien die SBI getoets sou wees in bos fragmente of gebiede met hoër diversiteit van sabel springkane, kan die SBI as meer belowend bewys word. As gevolg van laasgenoemde redes, is 'n vinnige assessering tegniek gebaseer op die SBI geneig om meer gepas vir sommige tipes habitat teenoor ander te wees

Confirmation of a unique species of Giardia, parasitic in the quenda (Isoodon obesulus)

AbstractThe ‘quenda genotype’ of Giardia was first identified in quenda (syn. southern brown bandicoots, Isoodon obesulus) in Western Australia in 2004. We aimed to formally describe this genotype as a species of Giardia, Giardia peramelis. Seventy five faecal samples positive for G. peramelis were obtained from quenda within the Statistical Division of Perth, Western Australia. These samples were used in morphological and molecular characterisation of G. peramelis. PCR amplification and sequencing was most successful at the 18S rRNA and ITS1-5.8s-ITS2 loci. Phylogenetic analyses placed G. peramelis external to the ‘Giardia duodenalis species complex’ and Giardia microti. This confirmed the uniqueness of G. peramelis, warranting classification as a separate species of Giardia. Study findings suggest quenda are a natural host for G. peramelis

Testing the Efficacy of Global Biodiversity Hotspots for Insect Conservation: The Case of South African Katydids

The use of endemism and vascular plants only for biodiversity hotspot delineation has long been contested. Few studies have focused on the efficacy of global biodiversity hotspots for the conservation of insects, an important, abundant, and often ignored component of biodiversity. We aimed to test five alternative diversity measures for hotspot delineation and examine the efficacy of biodiversity hotspots for conserving a non-typical target organism, South African katydids. Using a 1° fishnet grid, we delineated katydid hotspots in two ways: (1) count-based: grid cells in the top 10% of total, endemic, threatened and/or sensitive species richness; vs. (2) score-based: grid cells with a mean value in the top 10% on a scoring system which scored each species on the basis of its IUCN Red List threat status, distribution, mobility and trophic level. We then compared katydid hotspots with each other and with recognized biodiversity hotspots. Grid cells within biodiversity hotspots had significantly higher count-based and score-based diversity than non-hotspot grid cells. There was a significant association between the three types of hotspots. Of the count-based measures, endemic species richness was the best surrogate for the others. However, the score-based measure out-performed all count-based diversity measures. Species richness was the least successful surrogate of all. The strong performance of the score-based method for hotspot prediction emphasizes the importance of including species’ natural history information for conservation decision-making, and is easily adaptable to other organisms. Furthermore, these results add empirical support for the efficacy of biodiversity hotspots in conserving non-target organisms

A Comparison of Delivery Methods of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder: An International Multicenter Trial

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the psychological treatment of choice for panic disorder (PD). However, given limited access to CBT, it must be delivered with maximal cost-effectiveness. Previous researchers have found that a brief computer-augmented CBT was as effective as extended therapist-delivered CBT. To test this finding, this study randomly allocated 186 patients with PD across 2 sites in Scotland and Australia to 12 sessions of therapist-delivered CBT (CBT12), 6 sessions of therapist-delivered (CBT6) or computer-augmented CBT (CBT6-CA), or a waitlist control. On a composite measure, at post-treatment, the outcome for CBT12 was statistically better than the outcome for CBT6. The outcome for CBT6-CA fell between CBT12 and CBT6, but could not be statistically distinguished from either treatment. The active treatments did not differ statistically at 6-month follow-up. The study provided some support for the use of computers as an innovative adjunctive-therapy tool and merits further investigation

Analysis of Campylobacter jejuni infection in the gnotobiotic piglet and genome-wide identification of bacterial factors required for infection

To investigate how Campylobacter jejuni causes the clinical symptoms of diarrhoeal disease in humans,use of a relevant animal model is essential. Such a model should mimic the human disease closely in terms of host physiology, incubation period before onset of disease, clinical signs and a comparable outcome of disease. In this study, we used a gnotobiotic piglet model to study determinants of pathogenicity of C. jejuni. In this model, C. jejuni successfully established infection and piglets developed an increased temperature with watery diarrhoea, which was caused by a leaky epithelium and reduced bile re-absorption in the intestines. Further, we assessed the C. jejuni genes required for infection of the porcine gastrointestinal tract utilising a transposon (Tn) mutant library screen. A total of 123 genes of which Tn mutants showed attenuated piglet infection were identified. Our screen highlighted a crucial role for motility and chemotaxis, as well as central metabolism. In addition, Tn mutants of 14 genes displayed enhanced piglet infection. This study gives a unique insight into themechanisms of C. jejuni disease in terms of host physiology and contributing bacterial factors

Optimisation of the enzyme-linked lectin assay for enhanced glycoprotein and glycoconjugate analysis

Lectin’s are proteins capable of recognising and binding to specific oligosaccharide tructures found on glycoproteins and other biomoloecules. As such they have found tility for glycoanalytical applications. One common difficulty encountered in the pplication of these proteins, particularly in multi-well plate assay formats known as Enzyme Linked Lectin Assays (ELLA’s), is in finding appropriate blocking solutions to prevent non-specific binding with plate surfaces. Many commonly used blocking agents contain carbohydrates and generate significant background signals in ELLA’s, limiting the utility of the assay. In this study we examined the suitability of a range of blocking reagents, including rotein based, synthetic and commercially available carbohydrate free blocking eagents, for ELLA applications. Each blocking reagent was assessed against a panel f 19 commercially available biotinylated lectins exhibiting diverse structures and arbohydrate specificities. We identified the synthetic polymer Polyvinyl Alcohol PVA) as the best global blocking agent for performing ELLA’s. We ultimately present n ELLA methodology facilitating broad spectrum lectin analysis of glycoconjugates nd extending the utility of the ELLA