Determining the jet energy scale for ATLAS in the Z+Jet channel

This thesis presents a determination of the jet energy scale for the ATLAS detector using in-situ measurements. This calibration is critical, as jets are found in many analyses, and the energy measurement of jets contributes significantly to the uncertainty in numerous ATLAS results. The energy of the jet is initially taken to be the detector measurement, but this is lower than the true energy because the detector is calibrated for electromagnetic particles, not jets. One can find a correction to this energy by balancing the jet\u27s transverse momentum against a well-measured reference object. Directly calibrating the calorimeter-level jet to the particle-level is called Direct Balance; here, a different method called the Missing ET Projection Fraction (MPF) method is used instead, which balances the pt of the recoiling system against the reference object. The MPF\u27s pile-up resistant nature makes it more suitable to use in the ATLAS environment. Results for the MPF method in the Z+Jet channel are presented. A relative calibration of data to Monte Carlo simulation is provided, including a complete systematic uncertainty analysis. The uncertainty on the in-situ calibration is reduced to around 1% for most transverse momenta

Framework for Clinical and Non-Clinical Best Practices for Care for Transgender Individuals

This framework studies the gap in healthcare transgender individuals experience and aims to provide competent clinical and non-clinical best practices for care within a clinical setting. The literature indicates the challenges transgender individuals face when accessing appropriate care. Amid the current political climate and rise of anti-transgender healthcare bills, clinical settings need to be inclusive of gender diverse communication and language to ensure equitable care. Therefore, this framework addresses the clinical and administrative gaps that exist through the development of two case scenarios. Furthermore, the case scenarios indicate the need for core competencies within a clinical setting. The framework recommends core competencies and provides a clinical discussion design to establish an appropriate and equitable medical visit. Nonetheless, this framework can serve as a reference that can be used for all vulnerable populations to address their specific healthcare needs

Data-driven Stochastic Model for Quantifying the Interplay Between Amyloid-beta and Calcium Levels in Alzheimer's Disease

The abnormal aggregation of extracellular amyloid-$\beta$ (A\beta) in senile plaques resulting in calcium (Ca^{+2}) dyshomeostasis is one of the primary symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Significant research efforts have been devoted in the past to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms driving A\beta deposition and Ca^{+2} dysregulation. To better understand this interaction, we report a novel stochastic model where we analyze the positive feedback loop between A\beta and Ca^{+2} using ADNI data. A good therapeutic treatment plan for AD requires precise predictions. Stochastic models offer an appropriate framework for modelling AD since AD studies are observational in nature and involve regular patient visits. The etiology of AD may be described as a multi-state disease process using the approximate Bayesian computation method. So, utilizing ADNI data from $2$-year visits for AD patients, we employ this method to investigate the interplay between A\beta and Ca^{+2} levels at various disease development phases. Incorporating the ADNI data in our physics-based Bayesian model, we discovered that a sufficiently large disruption in either A\beta metabolism or intracellular Ca^{+2} homeostasis causes the relative growth rate in both Ca^{+2} and A\beta, which corresponds to the development of AD. The imbalance of Ca^{+2} ions causes A\beta disorders by directly or indirectly affecting a variety of cellular and subcellular processes, and the altered homeostasis may worsen the abnormalities of Ca^{+2} ion transportation and deposition. This suggests that altering the Ca^{+2} balance or the balance between A\beta and Ca^{+2} by chelating them may be able to reduce disorders associated with AD and open up new research possibilities for AD therapy.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Validation of the biological responses of reference drugs in the zebrafish embryo by electrocardiographic analysis and by novel phenotyping tools

Drug toxicities represent a major problem in drug discovery and development; therefore there is a push to develop new technologies to detect these early on. In this thesis I investigated the utility of zebrafish embryos and larvae in evaluating the biological activity of novel compounds and developed new methods for assaying the potential toxic effects of drugs $in$ $vivo$. An electrocardiogram (ECG) recording set-up for zebrafish embryos and larvae was developed to assay drug-induced cardiotoxicity. The set-up was validated by testing drugs known to induce cardiotoxicity in humans in zebrafish larvae. The results obtained were in agreement with those documented in humans demonstrating the utility of the zebrafish larva in detecting drug-induced cardiotoxicity. The zebrafish embryo was also found to be a useful model for probing the biological activity of novel and marketed compounds providing an insight into the relationship between chemical properties and biological effects. Additionally, the assessment of the anti-inflammatory activity of a set of reference drugs revealed that the zebrafish larva also presents a promising model for therapeutic drug screens. Overall, the results described in this thesis show that the zebrafish presents an effective, reliable and rapid model for assessing the biological activity of drugs $in$ $vivo$

Healthy Lifestyle Options

Many diseases, like cardiometabolic diseases, various cancers, hypertension, obesity, and associated diseases, have been linked to a healthier diet, good nutrition, and physical activity. young adults and adolescents who live a healthier lifestyle have many behavioral and psychological protective factors and also risk factors. This study focused on food consumption, exercise, & social life in order to determine public understanding of living a healthier lifestyle. This research, as many others before it, indicates that effective health promotion policy can represent a collectivist instead of an individualist ethos by including health prerequisites via a public health promotion policy, in which academic environments promote a healthy lifestyle strategy by improving the levels of a nutritious, healthy, and diverse menu in cafeterias and providing students with a variety of activities that promote exercise and healthy eating

Molecular diversity analysis in selected fodder and dual purpose oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)

Genetic variability among 15 oat genotypes comprising fodder and dual purpose oat varieties from different geographical regions was analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker method in Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (G.B.P.U.A. & T.), Pantnagar. The results show appreciably high genetic diversity among the oat genotypes studied. Fifteen (15) primers selected from 20 RAPD primers could amplify 259 clear and identifiable bands, of which 250 bands were polymorphic, accounting for 96.52% genetic polymorphism. All the oat genotypes studied could be distinctly divided into two major groups with the genetic distance level at 0.46 by cluster analysis based on the Jaccard’s coefficient of similarity. The cluster break indicated sufficient genetic variability among the genotypes. Clustering pattern of the varieties appeared such that it can be grouped in the genotypes suitable for the fodder purpose and the dual purpose varieties separately. Several polymorphic bands were also found in different genotypes which helped in molecular diversity analysis of these genotypes. The results found are encouraging and indicate that RAPD technique is an easy, quick and reliable technique used for molecular diversity analysis for preliminary selection.Keywords: Oats, RAPD, genetic diversity, polymorphism.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(22), pp. 3425-342

Coupled Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Models of Cardiac Ablation at Tissue-Cellular Scales and a Role of Microtubules

Radiofrequency ablation is a medical procedure that is becoming increasingly used for disease treatments. During this procedure, part of dysfunctional tissues is ablated by using the heat, typically generated from medium frequency electric current. It is a field of medicine where mathematical and computational models play a substantial role in assisting clinical practitioners with quantifications of some of the most critical characteristics, including temperature distributions and ablated volumes. In this contribution, we describe a framework for the development of coupled thermo-electro-mechanical models in this field. While our framework and the described validation procedures can be applicable to a variety of ablation modalities and treatments, a major focus has been given to some of the pecularities related to cardiac ablation at tissue-cellular scales and a role played by cell organelles such as microtubules, as well as by the cell nucleus. We have discussed the effects their inclusion makes on the calculation of the main characteristics of the radiofrequency ablation procedures. The importance of domain heterogeneity, as well as the integration of fluid-structure interaction in the developed framework along with other effects, have been highlighted and the details on ablation modalities in the context of clinical experimental research have been given. Finally, future generalizations of the proposed framework with hybrid stochastic-deterministic models have been put forward

Pathological and molecular characterizations of slow leaf rusting in fifteen wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell) genotypes

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina, is a globally important fungal disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell), resulting in significant yield losses, sometimes up to 40% worldwide. In this study we investigated slow rusting resistance at pathological and molecular level. Fifteen (15) wheat genotypes which also included multiple crosses with the aim to characterize pyramid resistance genes, including slow rusting genes like Lr46 and Lr50 were evaluated for disease severity percent, latent period and incubation period under field conditions. Detached leaf assay was also performed with three virulent pathotypes viz., 21R55 (104-2), 121R63-1 (77-5) and 29R45 (12-5), under controlled laboratory conditions. Genotypes, KIRITATAI//HUW234+LR34/PRINIA, WAXWING*2/TUKURU, WBLLI*2/KIRITATI, KAMBI*2/-BRAMBLING and KAMBI*2/KIRITATI were very close to near immunity and showed comparatively higher level of resistance against all the three pathotypes. Disease severity in resistant genotypes was traced type 5 to 6% in both years, while it was 60 to 80% in the case of susceptible genotypes, that is, ‘Agra Local’ (S1). Similar pattern was observed for AUDPC, that is, <250.0 in the resistant genotypes, while it was beyond 1000.0 in ‘Agra Local’. The shorter mean latent (7.67) and incubation period (6.0) was observed in susceptible genotypes, that is, ‘Agra Local’ to all the resistant genotypes, that is, LP (10 to 12) and IP (9 to 10); while testing against all the three different pathotypes. Linked microsatellite markers were used to confirm the presence of different rust resistance genes required to achieve near immunity. Out of 10 primers, nine produced gene specific bands with all genotypes except the control, that is, Agra Local. Genotypes which showed slow rusting, had longer latent period and incubation period as well as reduced percent disease severity and confirmed the presence of four to five resistance genes including slow rusting genes, that is, Lr46 and Lr50. This indicates that these genotypes have potential durable resistance and can be used as parental lines in the development of more durable rust resistance.Key words: Near immunity, pathotypes, Puccinia triticina, SSR