Search for an Interlocutor in Carmen Martin Gaite\u27s Short Stories and Novels

Analysis of the textual evidence in Martín Gaite\u27s short stories and novels demonstrates that self-actualization is one of life\u27s most important achievements. For this reason, perhaps, she has been acknowledged primarily as a feminist writer, but analysis indicates that it is her search for an interlocutor that is the primary underlying message that underscores all of her fictional works. She creates narratives that require interaction with narrative interlocutors which are designed in the narrative processes of her texts. Therefore, this thesis studies both the narratological strategies used in her works and the function of the prescribed interlocutor(s) in order to highlight a more authentic reading of the short stories and novels she produced. I rely on the critical works of narratologists for the theoretical background of my study. According to Martín Gaite, searching for and finding an ideal conversation partner is what brings meaning and purpose to life. When authentic conversation partners can\u27t be found, she creates the space for fictional ones because it is the conversation itself that forces the necessary interiorization and corresponding experience of reconciliation to past and present

Demographic components of philopatry and nest-site fidelity of Pacific black brant

Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1996I investigated demographic components of nest-site fidelity and philopatry of Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans). My analyses included data I collected during summer 1990-1993, and also incorporated data obtained between 1986-1989. My studies of nest-site fidelity were limited to the Tutakoke River colony, Yukon-Kuskokwim River Delta, Alaska. Studies of philopatry and dispersal among colonies included observations at 7 breeding colonies of brant marked with tarsal tags (n = 20,147). I observed strong evidence that philopatry of brant was female biased. Probability of breeding philopatry, which was estimated with multi-state modeling techniques, was high (>0.9) and dispersal of adults among breeding colonies was rare. I developed an ad hoc estimator for natal philopatry that was unbiased by a confounding of homing, survival, and detection probabilities. Probability of natal philopatry for females was both age and density dependent. The density-dependent decline in natal philopatry may result from increased rate of permanent nonbreeding or increased probability of dispersal. Observed probability of natal philopatry for males was approximately equivalent to the relative size of their natal colony, suggesting that males pair at random with females from other colonies. Gene flow among populations of brant is largely male mediated, and I predict populations of brant will exhibit distinct mitochondrial DNAs if populations have been reproductively isolated for an adequate period of time. Probability of fidelity to previous nest sites for adults was high (>0.7). Probability of nest-site fidelity was affected by previous nesting success, age, and availability of nest sites. Phenology of nesting, nest-site selection, and clutch size of brant was affected by spring snowmelt. Dispersal of brant from traditional nest sites in years with late springs may represent a tradeoff between site fidelity and timing of nest initiation. Movement of young females from natal nest sites was a mechanism for colony expansion. I observed little evidence that site fidelity was advantageous, and concluded that quality of individual bird, environmental conditions, and demographic status may be more important determinants of breeding performance

Maine Healthy Beaches Program: Working Together to Improve Coastal Water Quality (2010 State of the Bay Presentation)

https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cbep-presentations/1045/thumbnail.jp

Integration of technologies for understanding the functional relationship between reef habitat and fish growth and production

Functional linkage between reef habitat quality and fish growth and production has remained elusive. Most current research is focused on correlative relationships between a general habitat type and presence/absence of a species, an index of species abundance, or species diversity. Such descriptive information largely ignores how reef attributes regulate reef fish abundance (density-dependent habitat selection), trophic interactions, and physiological performance (growth and condition). To determine the functional relationship between habitat quality, fish abundance, trophic interactions, and physiological performance, we are using an experimental reef system in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico where we apply advanced sensor and biochemical technologies. Our study site controls for reef attributes (size, cavity space, and reef mosaics) and focuses on the processes that regulate gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis) abundance, behavior and performance (growth and condition), and the availability of their pelagic prey. We combine mobile and fixed-active (fisheries) acoustics, passive acoustics, video cameras, and advanced biochemical techniques. Fisheries acoustics quantifies the abundance of pelagic prey fishes associated with the reefs and their behavior. Passive acoustics and video allow direct observation of gag and prey fish behavior and the acoustic environment, and provide a direct visual for the interpretation of fixed fisheries acoustics measurements. New application of biochemical techniques, such as Electron Transport System (ETS) assay, allow the in situ measurement of metabolic expenditure of gag and relates this back to reef attributes, gag behavior, and prey fish availability. Here, we provide an overview of our integrated technological approach for understanding and quantifying the functional relationship between reef habitat quality and one element of production – gag grouper growth on shallow coastal reefs

Food insecurity in Australia: Implications for general practitioners

Background In Australia, it would appear that food is abundant. For a proportion of people, however, accessing enough food to eat can be a daily or weekly struggle. Objectives This article provides a summary about the prevalence, causes and consequences of food insecurity that affects vulnerable populations in Australia, and discusses the implications for general practitioners (GPs). Discussion It is estimated that 4% of Australians cannot access sufficient, safe and nutritious food. Food insecurity can be both a precursor to, and a by-product of, chronic disease and poverty. Patients who are food insecure may skip meals, eat cheap food and experience stress. They may show incredible resilience and skills in managing and masking this issue. Identifying this vulnerable population is of high importance to GPs as it has an impact on the work-up and care of such individuals. Effective links between welfare and health services are required to address patients&rsquo; material, financial and environmental barriers to food security<br /

Shape analysis of the hippocampus in Alzheimer’s disease and subtypes of frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Hippocampal pathology is central to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia such as frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Autopsy studies have shown that certain hippocampal subfields are more vulnerable than others to AD and FTLD pathology, in particular the subiculum and cornu ammonis 1 (CA1)

Building a semantically annotated corpus of clinical texts

In this paper, we describe the construction of a semantically annotated corpus of clinical texts for use in the development and evaluation of systems for automatically extracting clinically significant information from the textual component of patient records. The paper details the sampling of textual material from a collection of 20,000 cancer patient records, the development of a semantic annotation scheme, the annotation methodology, the distribution of annotations in the final corpus, and the use of the corpus for development of an adaptive information extraction system. The resulting corpus is the most richly semantically annotated resource for clinical text processing built to date, whose value has been demonstrated through its use in developing an effective information extraction system. The detailed presentation of our corpus construction and annotation methodology will be of value to others seeking to build high-quality semantically annotated corpora in biomedical domains

Påverkan av placeringsinriktningar och förvaltningsstrategier på aktiefonders avkastning

Syftet med uppsatsen är att utifrån fonders karaktärsdrag undersöka om det går att utforma en investeringsstrategi som konsekvent slår marknaden. Detta görs med hjälp av regressionsanalyser som har för syfte att undersöka vilka karaktärsdrag som påverkar en fonds avkastning. Nollhypotesen är uppställd på sådant vis att om en hypotes förkastas har variabeln antingen en signifikant positiv eller negativ påverkan på avkastning. Undersökningsperioden sträcker sig mellan 1999-2008 och 99 fonder undersöks. Utifrån de karaktärsdrag som påvisas signifikanta konstrueras en portfölj av dessa för perioden 2009-2013. Detta för att undersöka om det går att använda metoden och resultatet som en investeringsstrategi. Resultatet från metoden ovan visar att karaktärsdragen Mid Cap, Tillväxt och Cyklisk har positiv påverkan på avkastning. Risk, Ålder, I-land och Dynamisk uppvisade däremot ett negativt samband med avkastning. Portföljen som konstruerades med hjälp av dessa karaktärsdrag presterade bättre än en slumpmässigt utvald portfölj men slog ej världsindex när hänsyn togs till förvaltningsavgifter och survivor bias