Random permutations and unique fully supported ergodicity for the Euler adic transformation

There is only one fully supported ergodic invariant probability measure for the adic transformation on the space of infinite paths in the graph that underlies the Eulerian numbers. This result may partially justify a frequent assumption about the equidistribution of random permutations.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, to appear Ann. Inst. H. Poincar\'e Prob. and Sta

Land Grant Application- Bailey, Hudson (Portland)

Land grant application submitted to the Maine Land Office on behalf of Hudson Bailey for service in the Revolutionary War, by their widow Sarah.https://digitalmaine.com/revolutionary_war_me_land_office/1046/thumbnail.jp

Effects of Childhood Experiences on Adult Desire to Parent

Many believe the primary role in life is to settle down and have children. The present study focuses on understanding what can influence a person’s choice to have children. With a wide variety of childhood experiences that exist, as well as the influences of an optimism/pessimism attitude about life, this study will focus on how these characteristics can combine to influence one’s decision to have children. According to McDonnell (2012), many of those who experienced an unstable or undesirable childhood grow up wanting no children as a way to not repeat the cycle. Meanwhile, some who experienced adversity in childhood seek parenthood as a way to do the opposite of what they experienced, and effort to provide better for their children. What differentiates these responses may have to do with general attitude about the world. Individuals vary on their optimism-pessimism level. Evidence has been found that show optimism and pessimism to exist on a singular, bi-polar spectrum (Marshall, Wortman, Kusulas, Hervig, & Vickers, 1992); high optimism equates to a low level of pessimism and vice versa. Studies have also shown that childhood adversities can play a large role when it comes to adulthood dispositional optimism (Korkeila et al, 2004). It is clear, then that childhood experiences, optimism-pessimism, and desire to have children are all somehow interconnected; these relationships suggests the following hypotheses: 1) Adults who had little or no adversity in childhood will desire to have children, independent of their levels of optimism/pessimism; and 2) Adults who did experience childhood adversity only will desire to have children if they are also high in levels of general optimism.https://scholar.dominican.edu/ug-student-posters/1041/thumbnail.jp

Development and validation of an ELISA to detect antibodies to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in ovine sera

Several enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have been developed for the detection of antibodies to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, the causative agent of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA). However, none are commercially available in the UK. It was therefore necessary to develop a new, economic ELISA for use in a research project studying the epidemiology of CLA in UK sheep. The ELISA with its diagnostic qualities is presented. The ELISA was developed using sonicated C. pseudotuberculosis and optimised to detect total antibody or IgG class antibody in serum. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained and the area under the ROC curve was used to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the two ELISAs. Both versions of the ELISA were evaluated on a panel of 150 positive reference sera and 103 negative reference sera. Using the test at 100% specificity, the sensitivity of detection of total antibody was 71% (95% confidence interval 63-78%), and the 2 sensitivity of detection of IgG antibody to C. pseudotuberculosis was 83% (76-89%), which compares favourably with other reported ELISA tests for CLA in sheep. The sensitivity of the IgG antibody assay may be higher because of the greater affinity of IgG class antibodies compared with the IgM antibodies also detected by the total antibody ELISA. The results of ROC analysis indicated that the IgG isotype ELISA was more accurate than the total antibody ELISA. The efficiency of the test was greatest when serum samples were run in a dilution series than when any single serum dilution was used. The ELISA is considered to be suitable for application in field studies of CLA in UK sheep

Thrombocytosis: an important marker of cancer in primary care

Thrombocytosis (raised platelet count) has recently been identified as a prediagnostic risk marker of cancer; however, the association has not been fully investigated. This thesis aimed to explore the relationship between thrombocytosis and a future diagnosis of cancer through three complementary pieces of research. Firstly, a systematic review was carried out which aimed to identify studies that had investigated thrombocytosis as a diagnostic marker of cancer. Four case-control studies were identified that had found thrombocytosis to be a significant predictor of lung, oesophago-gastric, uterine, and renal cancer. A further four studies found that thrombocytosis did not predict pancreatic, breast, ovarian, or colorectal cancer. One further study had collected, but not analysed, platelet count data. Data from all nine studies were included in a meta-analysis. The findings of the review suggest that thrombocytosis is a marker of some, but not all, types of cancer. The second study used data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and the English cancer registry. This cohort study examined the relationship between thrombocytosis and cancer using two groups of patients. The first included 40,000 patients with a raised platelet count (a platelet count of > 400 x 109/L). The second cohort included 10,000 patients with a normal platelet count (150 - 400 x 109/L) who were age, sex, and practice matched to a random quarter of the first cohort. This study found that the risk of cancer was greater in patients with thrombocytosis compared to those with a normal platelet count. The one year cancer incidence was 11.6% (95% CI 11.0 - 12.3) for male patients with thrombocytosis, and 4.1% (95% CI 3.4 - 4.9) in males with a normal platelet count. In female patients, the one year cancer incidence was 6.2% (95% CI 5.9 - 6.5) for those with thrombocytosis and 2.2% (95% CI 1.8 - 2.6) for those with a normal platelet count. Lung and colorectal cancer were more likely to be diagnosed in patients with thrombocytosis than in patients with a normal platelet count, and breast and prostate cancer less likely. In patients with a sustained increase in platelet count over six months, the risk of cancer increased to 18.1% in males (95% CI 15.9 - 20.5) and 10.1% in females (95% CI 9.0 - 11.3). Around a third of patients with lung or colorectal cancer and thrombocytosis had no other symptoms prior to diagnosis that would have prompted investigation for cancer as per current NICE guidance. The third study compared cancer recording in the CPRD and in the English cancer registry. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of cancer recording in the CPRD using cancer registry recording as the gold standard, and to estimate predictors of concordance between the two data sources. A sensitivity analysis repeated the primary analysis from the second study to estimate the effect of including unverified CPRD cancer diagnoses. The CPRD identified 5,924 of 7,785 cancers recorded in the cancer registry (sensitivity 76.1%, 95% CI 75.1 - 77.0). 36,255 patients with no record of cancer in the CPRD also had no cancer record in the cancer registry (specificity 97.0%, 95% CI 96.1 - 97.2). 5,924 of 7,028 CPRD cancer diagnoses were confirmed by the cancer registry data; the positive predictive value (PPV) of a CPRD recorded diagnosis was 84.3% (95% CI 83.4 - 85.1). Male cancers, those in younger patients, and those recorded from 2005 onwards were more likely to be recorded in both sources. In a sensitivity analysis, the exclusion of cancer diagnoses that were only recorded in the CPRD did not significantly alter findings from the cohort study described above. The findings from this thesis show that thrombocytosis is an important predictor of undiagnosed cancer in adults aged 40 years and over. Patients with thrombocytosis are more likely to be diagnosed with lung and colorectal cancer than other types. These results suggest that cancer should be considered as an underlying diagnosis in patients with unexpectedly raised platelets, even if cancer was not suspected at the time that the blood test was ordered. For at least a third of patients with thrombocytosis and cancer, there will be no other clinical features of malignancy; for this proportion, thrombocytosis has great potential to expedite diagnosis and improved survival

The sophomore experience at Rowan University from the perspective of selected sophomores

The primary purpose of this study was to better understand the needs of sophomores at Rowan University through interviewing five purposefully selected sophomore students at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, in the spring semester, 2008. The study investigated the experiences of selected sophomores in the classroom, outside of the classroom, and with identity and self concept that contributed to student success at Rowan University. Data were collected by means of three interviews with each participant. The interviews took place throughout the spring semester one in January, one in February, and one in March. The instruments used to collect the data consisted of nine questions each. The interviews focused on allowing students to tell their stories and lived experience through describing events in their sophomore year. The interviews lasted approximately 45 minutes each. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Data analysis suggests that selected sophomores have both beneficial and challenging experiences in and out of the classroom during their sophomore year. It was reported that sophomore students are in different places in their identity development and that Rowan University could be doing more to support sophomore students

Sediments as a dispersal vector of aquatic invertebrates: An estimation of propagule pressure associated with \u27no ballast on board\u27 vessels

Ballast water has been the primary vector of nonindigenous species (NIS) to the Laurentian Great Lakes over the past 45 years. Although ballast water exchange regulations were implemented in 1993 to reduce propagule loads, new NIS continue to be discovered. A possible explanation for this trend is the importance of alternative vectors, such as resting stages of invertebrates in residual ballast sediments of transoceanic ships claiming \u27no ballast on board\u27. To determine the risk of invasion potentially associated with this vector, I collected sediment samples from 39 ships entering the Great Lakes and measured the density, diversity and viability of resting stages contained therein. Viable resting stages of NIS were found in 32% of ships, at a median density of 3.0 x 105 ship-1 . Twenty-one NIS were identified, consisting exclusively of rotifers and cladocerans. I subsequently conducted in situ experiments using emergence traps to assess the introduction potential of invertebrate diapausing stages present in ships\u27 ballast sediment. Hatching was observed on all four ships, although not from all sediments. Overall hatch rates were very low (0.5 individuals per 500 g sediment), typically involving activation of \u3c0.05% of total eggs present. While dormancy is a characteristic enabling enhanced survival during transportation, it becomes an impediment for introduction as resting stages that are buried in sediments appear to have little chance for expulsion from ballast tanks. Results from this study indicate, however, that diapausing eggs contained in ballast sediment of NOBOB ships are a potential mechanism for introduction of new NIS to the Great Lakes.Dept. of Biological Sciences. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2004 .B35. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 66-07, Section: B, page: 3513. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005