Leadership in an Australian Context: Highlighting a Qualitative Investigation with Construct Validity Support

This paper highlights how criteria for validity that are usually utilized within quantitative research can be used to provide further validation to fully qualitative research. In this case, the qualitative research utilizes the grounded theory method. This research used the grounded theory to investigate leadership processes in the substantive setting of the Islamic organizations in Australia. The qualitative analysis of qualitative data generated a number of categories that were conceptually unique. Theoretical sampling directed the researcher toward data sources that provided further conceptual uniqueness. The similarity between some of these newly-generated categories and lower-order categories gave cause to claim convergent validity for the findings. Also, the contrast between other newly-generated categories and some lower-order categories gave cause to celebrate discriminant validity. The significant contribution in this paper is bringing convergent validity and discriminant validity to grounded theory research

Gene Expression Noise Facilitates Adaptation and Drug Resistance Independently of Mutation

We show that the effect of stress on the reproductive fitness of noisy cell populations can be modelled as first-passage time problem, and demonstrate that even relatively short-lived fluctuations in gene expression can ensure long-term survival of a drug-resistant population. We examine how this effect contributes to the development of drug-resistant cancer cells, and demonstrate that permanent immunity can arise independently of mutations.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Unprecedented Ractivity Of 1-Aza-2-Azoniaallene Salts: New Methodologies And Mechanistic Studies For The Formation Of Diazenium Salts And Tetrahydropyridazines

This thesis describes the research conducted towards the overall goal of developing new synthetic organic methods to facilitate the synthesis of structurally complex nitrogen-containing polycyclic compounds. More specifically, I will describe the diverse reactivity of 1-aza-2-azoniaallene systems to make polycyclic diazenium salts and tetrahydropyridazine rings. I will also describe mechanistic studies undertaken to better understand this reactivity. The Brewer research group has discovered that hydrazones undergo an oxidation reaction with chlorodimethylsulfonium chloride to afford -chloroazo compounds, which react intramolecularly with pendent alkene units to give bicyclic ring fused and bridged diazenium salts. My work includes a mechanistic study to understand how the reaction proceeds and what factors affect its outcome. I will also describe the development of a new method to make diazenium salts in a shorter and more efficient route using a hypervalent Iodine (III) reagent. More recently, our group discovered new and different modes of reactivity of 1-aza-2-azoniaallene salts that included C-H amination reactions, polar [4 + 2] cycloadditions, electrophilic aromatic substitutions, and a chloroamination reaction. Our group was able to utilize these newly discovered reactivities in the preparation of pyrazolines, pyrazoles, tetrahydrocinnolines, and pyridazines, which are all complex compounds of great synthetic utilities that were made in short chemical transformations. Herein I describe my work to understand the scope and limitations of using these heteroallenes in the synthesis of pyridazines

Soybean yield, yield components, seed quality, dehydrin-like proteins, soluble sugars, and mineral nutrients in response to drought stress imposed prior to severe stress

Drought stress reduced soybean seed yield, but its effect on seed quality was highly variable. Two greenhouse experiments (one in summer and one in winter) and one field experiment were conducted to investigate the effects of drought pre-conditioning on seed yield, size, quality, accumulation of dehydrin-like proteins and soluble sugars in relation to seed quality, and seed mineral nutrients. In summer, soybean (Glycine max L.) plants were exposed at beginning seed fill (R5) to well-watered (WW), sudden stress (SS) (without drought pre-conditioning), and three drought pre-conditioning treatments: one-day stress (ODS), two periods of one-day stress (TDS), and gradual stress (GS) imposed prior to severe drought stress. Three treatments were imposed in winter (WW, SS, and GS). In the field experiment, irrigated and non-irrigated conditions were imposed at R5. Yield and yield components declined in drought-stressed plants regardless of the drought patterns compared with WW plants. In the greenhouse experiments, drought stress increased production of small and medium sized seeds, which also had lower germination. Large seeds from well-watered and gradual-stressed plants had better seed vigor (AA-germination) than seeds from suddenly stressed plants, indicating gradual stress was less harmful to seed vigor than sudden stress. In winter, all drought stress treatments induced dehydrin-like proteins at mid-seed development and reduced the level of soluble sugars in the mature seeds. The reduction in soluble sugars in seeds from drought stressed plants coincided with the reduction in AA-germination. In winter and field experiments, drought stress treatments increased the concentration of P, K, Ca, Mo, Mn, and Cu in seed similar in size and weight to seeds from well-watered plants; but, the concentrations varied between the two experiments. Drought-stress treatments reduced seed size in the winter experiment, but not in field experiment. Medium seeds had lower nutrient content than large seeds. In conclusion, all drought stress treatments reduced yield, yield components, increased production of small and medium seeds, and induced expression of dehydrins at mid-seed development. Well-watered and gradual stress treatment improved seed vigor (AA-germination) of large seeds over that observed in the SS treatment and this reduction in seed vigor was coincided with the reduction in soluble sugars

Glycemic Index of Foods, Adiposity and Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Emirati Young Adults

This dissertation is concerned with determining the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Emirati females aged 17–25 years and its relation to overweight and obesity. It also aims to determine the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values for traditional Emirati foods that have not been tested yet. In a cross-sectional study design, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and biochemical measurements were collected from a total of 555 Emirati female college students and the prevalence of MetS was concluded. Furthermore, at least fifteen healthy subjects participated in the measurement of GI and GL values for each of the twenty-three Emirati test foods. This study showed a high prevalence of MetS among college female young adults aged 17–25 years (6.8%). Of the 555 participants enrolled, 23.1% were overweight and 10.4% were classified as obese. MetS was significantly associated with obesity, waisthip ratio, glycated hemoglobin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein. The current study also provides a comprehensive food composition table including proximate data, minerals, vitamins, lipids, and sugars contents, along with GI and GL values of twentythree locally consumed foods in the UAE which could be utilized in offering better dietary recommendations for the Emirati population. The results advocate the need for MetS identification and immediate intervention programs to improve the future health of this youthful group

IDENTIFIKASI POTENSI DAN KENDALA SERTA KEBUTUHAN SARANA DAN PRASARANA PENDUKUNG GUNA MENDUKUNG PENGEMBANGAN LAHAN TAMBAK PADA KAWASAN HINTERLAND MINAPOLITAN DI KABUPATEN SERANG

Penetapan lokasi minapolitan di Kabupaten Serang berdasarkan Keputusan Bupati Serang Nomor 523.31/KEP.661-HUK/2008 dan tentang Pembentukan Kelompok Kerja (Pokja) berdasarkan Keputusan Bupati Serang Nomor 061/KEP.192-ORG/2009. Kecamatan Pontang telah ditetapkan sebagai pusat pengembangan kawasan minapolitan dengan Kecamatan Tanara dan Kecamatan Tirtayasa sebagai kawasan hinterland minapolitan. Kecamatan Pontang merupakan minapolis kawasan minapolitan Kabupaten Serang yang memiliki fungsi sebagai fishery town. Kecamatan Tirtayasa dan Kecamatan Tanara merupakan hinterland kawasan minapolitan Kabupaten Serang yang memiliki fungsi sebaga fishery park. Pada skripsi ini akan dibahas mengenai kesesuaian lahan untuk pengembangan budidaya perikanan pada lahan tambak, potensi dan kendala didalam pengembangan kawasan minapolitan, serta kebutuhan sarana dan prasarana pendukung yang ada didalam kawasan hinterland minapolitan di Kabupaten Serang. Dari hasil analisis didapatkan luas kesesuaian lahan budidaya tambak sangat sesuai (S1) di Kecamatan Tirtayasa seluas 984 Ha, Sesuai (S2) 911 Ha, dan Kurang Sesuai (S3) seluas 409 Ha, sementara untuk Kecamatan Tanara kesesuaian lahan budidaya tambak sangat sesuai (S1) seluas 1.096 Ha, Sesuai (S2) seluas 872 Ha, dan Kurang Sesuai (S3) seluas 429 Ha. Komoditas unggulan yang terdapat pada kawasan hinterland minapolitan di Kabupaten Serang berupa Ikan Bandeng dan Rumput Laut Gracillaria. Ketidakjelasan konsep tata ruang dapat mengakibatkan kegagalan pengembangan kawasan Minapolitan karena tanpa adanya kejelasan tata ruang jaminan keamanan dan keberlanjutan bisnis akan terancam. Dibutuhkan pembangunan akses jalan dan pasar ikan guna mendukung proses distribusi dan pemasaran hasil perikanan budidaya. Kata Kunci : Kawasan Minapolitan, Hinterland, Kesesuaian Lahan, Sarana Prasaran

Planning Lessons of the American Dream: Historical Limitations and Democratizing Potential

Razni mediji su diljem svijeta prenijeli slike američkog pejsaža i njegovog obilja. Srž tih slika čini "američki san" sretnog i radinog domaćinstva gdje jedna obitelj živi u samostojećoj kući. Taj mitski ideal obiteljskog života je izgrađen u kontekstu političkog sustava i načinu planiranja koji su imali posve osebujan razvoj.Images of the American landscape, and of its prosperity, have been transmitted all over the world through various media. At the heart of these images is the "American Dream" of a happy, productive household living in a detached single-family dwelling unit. This mythical ideal of domesticity has been articulated and pursuied in the context of a political system and planning ideology that have evolved in unique ways