Ontologia ad theologia: An intellectual history of contemporary English language Rahner Scholarship

This thesis develops the methodology of the practice of the History of Ideas for the study of English language Rahnerian literature. Drawing primarily on the Cambridge School and techniques of French analysis, it endeavours to recover the intended consequence of particular writings of Karl Rahner and to examine how this intended consequence conforms with the current English language understanding. It facilitates this with a study of several questions that arise in the current dominant hermeneutics of English language Rahner study. By deploying a rigorous intellectual history of Rahner’s theological development, it tests the extent to which the non-foundationalist approach to Rahner’s theology is consistent with Rahner’s own historical development. It finally concludes with several suggestions on how some of these new questions may be addressed

Governing Insecurity: Institutional Design, Compliance, and Arms Control

Governing Insecurity examines the various efforts to regulate, constrain, or ban military technology. In the process, it outlines the considerable variation in both the design of these frameworks and in compliance outcomes that existing theoretical work fails to explain. In this dissertation project, I present an original Arms Control Design Dataset (ACDD) to provide new data and methods to quantitatively assess the design features of arms control regimes and their effect upon state behavior---specifically compliance. I focus this analysis on agreement type, membership, type of verification regime, and the decision to include sunset provisions in four quantitative chapters. The dissertation concludes by considering the lessons learned from this analysis for future efforts to regulate military technologies

Wargames as Data: Addressing the Wargamer's Trilemma

Policymakers often want the very best data with which to make decisions--particularly when concerned with questions of national and international security. But what happens when this data is not available? In those instances, analysts have come to rely on synthetic data-generating processes--turning to modeling and simulation tools and survey experiments among other methods. In the cyber domain, where empirical data at the strategic level are limited, this is no different--cyber wargames are quickly becoming a principal method for both exploring and analyzing the security challenges posed by state and non-state actors in cyberspace. In this chapter, we examine the design decisions associated with this method.Comment: 3 figure

Activity of the tetrapyrrole regulator CrtJ is controlled by oxidation of a redox active cysteine located in the DNA binding domain

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92379/1/j.1365-2958.2012.08135.x.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92379/2/MMI_8135_sm_fS1-S6,tS1.pd

A study of growth and development in the distal radius using the metaphyseal index

Introduction: Metaphyseal inwaisting is a process that occurs during long bone growth and remodelling of epiphyses and results in a proportional increase in growth plate width (GPW) and a decrease in metaphyseal width (MW). The Metaphyseal Index (MI) compares GPW to MW, usually in the distal femur. However, due to bone-age assessments, the most commonly performed radiograph in children is that of the hand/forearm. Previous work showed that gymnasts have a more widened growth plate at the distal radius than normal children, but these studies did not quantify the morphological changes using the MI and pQCT measures. Previous studies have shown that the use of DXA hand/forearm images for the purposes of bone-age assessment were unreliable for children aged 11 and under. Aims: Examine distal radius morphology of 378 Normal subjects (155 male), 36 Gymnast subjects (15 male), 17 NF1 subjects (7 male) and 108 CDGP subjects (83male) to calculate the precision of MI, MW and GPW measurements, to determine a normal reference range for the MI in Normal subjects and use this to compare to the other 3 groups, and to compare longitudinal measurements. Also, to investigate whether DXA software upgrades have improved the ability to make TW3 bone-age assessments, to investigate how closely DXA compares with standard radiographs using 98 (38 male) DXA hand images and radiographs, and calculate the precision (CV%) of the GP and TW3 bone-age assessment methods. Methods: Anthropometric data, Tanner stage, posterior-anterior hand radiographs and pQCT scans of the non-dominant hand/forearm were obtained. MI was measured using a semi-automated computer-assisted method. Statistical analyses were used to compare males and females, and compare the Normal group to other groups. Also, DXA images and radiographs were assessed by the same assessor and the TW3 and GP bone-ageing methods were compared. A CV% was calculated for both comparisons. Results: The CV% of MI, MW and GPW = 1.05%, 0.92% and 1.28% respectively. MI of males and females was not statistically different in any group. The MI of Gymnasts was significantly lower than the Normal group (p = 0.008). The NF1 and CDGP groups were not significantly different from the Normal group. Longitudinal measurements indicated those with a low/high MI at the first visit were likely to have a low/high MI at the second visit, though occasionally the MI would decrease between visits. DXA bone age assessments proved to be reliable in subjects of all ages assessed in this study and showed a CV% only slightly higher than standard radiographs (CV = 2.95% DXA vs2.68% radiograph). The CV% of GP and TW3 methods = 2.68% & 1.61% respectively. Discussion: The CV% of MI, MW and GPW shows these methods to be very precise. The mean MI of gymnasts is significantly lower than in normal children due to a widening of the growth plate and not due to a reduction in metaphyseal width. Insufficient subject numbers and smaller age ranges, particularly in the Gymnast and NF1 groups may play a part in the non-significant differences between them and the Normal group. DXA CV% shows that DXA is almost interchangeable with standard radiographs. The TW3 and GP CVs% show that TW3 bone-age assessment is more precise than the GP method. This confirms the tight control that the MW and GPW have in proportion to each other. This is the first study to quantify changes in distal radius morphology in normal, athlete and disease groups, and create a range of normal reference values, which could be useful for future work in this area.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Iterative Design and Prototyping of Computer Vision Mediated Remote Sighted Assistance

Remote sighted assistance (RSA) is an emerging navigational aid for people with visual impairments (PVI). Using scenario-based design to illustrate our ideas, we developed a prototype showcasing potential applications for computer vision to support RSA interactions. We reviewed the prototype demonstrating real-world navigation scenarios with an RSA expert, and then iteratively refined the prototype based on feedback. We reviewed the refined prototype with 12 RSA professionals to evaluate the desirability and feasibility of the prototyped computer vision concepts. The RSA expert and professionals were engaged by, and reacted insightfully and constructively to the proposed design ideas. We discuss what we learned about key resources, goals, and challenges of the RSA prosthetic practice through our iterative prototype review, as well as implications for the design of RSA systems and the integration of computer vision technologies into RSA

The Nuclear Network: Multiplex Network Analysis for Interconnected Systems

States facing the decision to develop a nuclear weapons program do so within a broader context of their relationships with other countries. How these diplomatic, economic, and strategic relationships impact proliferation decisions, however, remains under-specified. Adding to the existing empirical literature that attempts to model state proliferation decisions, this article introduces the first quantitative heterogeneous network analysis of how networks of conflict, alliances, trade, and nuclear cooperation interact to spur or deter nuclear proliferation. Using a multiplex network model, we conceptualize states as nodes linked by different modes of interaction represented on individual network layers. Node strength is used to quantify factors correlated with nuclear proliferation and these are combined in a weighted sum across layers to provide a metric characterizing the proliferation behavior of the state. This multiplex network modeling approach provides a means for identifying states with the highest relative likelihood of proliferation—based only on their relationships to other states. This work demonstrates that latent conflict and nuclear cooperation are positively correlated with proliferation, while an increased trade dependence suggests a decreased proliferation likelihood. A case study on Iran’s controversial nuclear program and past nuclear activity is also provided. These findings have clear, policy-relevant conclusions related to alliance posture, sanctions policy, and nuclear assistance. Abstract ©The Authors