Modelling infectious diseases in multiple species : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Mathematics at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria in the genus Leptospira and is considered as the disease of interest in this thesis. It is the highest occurring occupational disease in New Zealand and the country has one of the highest (per capita) incidences of human leptospirosis in the world. Transmission commonly occurs by contact with infectious animals, or materials contaminated by them. The disease is the cause of great financial losses to the country due to both the medical cost of treating infectious individuals, as well as due to production losses in the farming industry. As such, studying the dynamics of infection and possible control measures for the disease in animals, which also minimises exposure to humans, is an important area of research. This thesis aims to develop New Zealand specific models demonstrating the dynamics of leptospirosis infection within and between multiple host species, specifically rats and sheep, thus contributing towards an understanding of not only how ecological exchanges between different host populations influence the spreading of the disease, but also how the incidence of leptospirosis may be diminished. This is achieved with the use of compartmental SI type models of increasing complexity, with simpler models used as building blocks in constructing the more advanced systems. The models presented involving only rats consider an age structure within the population, with different behaviours and infection risks associated with each age class. Models involving only sheep focus on the periodic forcing implemented on the host population by the farmer, and also include an age structure, albeit a somewhat simpler one than the one in the rat models. The seasonal forcing on the livestock population results in a cyclical system which is displayed using limit cycle diagrams. This behaviour is mirrored in the model considering both host species in concert. Each model presents a variety of results, including bifurcation diagrams and quasi-basic reproduction numbers which display the behaviour of the system. The effect of varying various parameter values on the system is explored, and how these may change in relation to climate change is discussed. Parameter values used in numerical results demonstrating analytical ones are New Zealand specific and the model is used to predict conditions under which the infection will persist in the population

Sukses berwirausaha jambu madu

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Effects of secondary plant metabolites and micronutrients on mitochondrial functions in a cellular model of early Alzheimer disease

One advance that mankind has achieved over time as a result of medical and technical progress is increasing life expectancy. However, this is also accompanied by an increase in age-related diseases. One of these is Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is associated with the loss of physical and cognitive abilities as well as personality changes. To date, there is no cure for AD. Since symptoms do not appear until later in life, it is important to find a way to delay symptomatology as much as possible in advance and to take preventive or supportive measures. AD is characterized, among other things, by changes in three major areas, including mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) with a decrease in ATP and a change in the respiratory chain. Impaired amyloid-beta (Aβ) processing and alterations in glycolytic metabolism. It has been shown that physical activity, as well as nutrition, can prevent certain diseases, including AD. With this in mind, this work investigated the effects of hesperetin (HstP) from orange peel, magnesium orotate (MgOr) and folic acid, as well as the constituents caffeine, kahweol, and cafestol found in coffee, on the early symptoms of AD. Almost all compounds were shown to significantly increase ATP levels in the SH-SY5Y- APP695 cell model. Specifically, HstP was able to decrease the levels of reactive oxygen species. MgOr and Fol, in particular, altered Aβ-processing and lowered the levels. Coffee constituents affected glycolytic metabolism and led to an increase in aerobic glycolysis. Each of the groups of compounds acted on a different area of AD. To check whether a combination of all substances (cocktail) addressed all areas, this cocktail was also tested for its effect. It was found that ATP levels were increased and Aβ levels were decreased. There were no effects on any other areas. In summary, although there is no cure for AD, certain substances can positively influence the disease and have a preventive effect. This makes them promising agents that deserve further research

[Antiquitates] Berosi Sacerdotis chaldaici, Antiquitatum Libri Quinque

Layoutgetreues Digitalisat der Ausg.: Wittebergae : Seelfischius / Wittebergae : Henckelius, 1612 Standort: Universität Marburg, Bibliothek Religionswissenschaft (510) Signatur: 869 Bemerkungen: Auf dem Titelblatt: Berosi Sacerdotis chaldaici, Antiquitatum Libri Quinque : Reliquorum antiquitatum Authorum catalogum, sequens indicabit pagella / Cum Commentariis Joannis Annii Viterbensis sacrae Theologiae professoris, primum Antwerpiae, in antiquitatum studiosorum commodiatem, sub forma Enchiridii excusi & castigati. Nachweis alter Drucke: VD17 23:249025Q. - (Bibliothek Wittgenstein) Digitalisiert 201

Euthanasia: An Exploration of Public Opinion

The acceptance of euthanasia is examined using the 1972-2002 GSS cumulative dataset. The dataset contains a total of 43,698 respondents. The euthanasia question, Should a terminally ill patient be allowed the right to die? was asked beginning in 1977. The number of respondents answering the euthanasia question totals 22,039. The independent variables age, race, gender, political view, religious affiliation, and education were reviewed to assess their impact on support of euthanasia. Additionally, in order to test the slippery slope hypothesis, the abortion question, Should abortion be allowed under any circumstance? was added to the independent variable list. Cross tabulation was used to test the significance and relationship between the independent and dependent variables. To test the slippery slope hypothesis, logistic regression was used to test the relationship between acceptance of euthanasia and abortion. Cross tabulation results show higher acceptance of euthanasia among older people, whites, the highly educated, liberal respondents, Jewish respondents, and males. The logistic regression shows that, in model one, the results largely replicated the bivariate analyses, however differences among religion showed Christians favoring euthanasia 54% less than non-Christians, those with a college education were 9% less likely to support euthanasia than those without a college education and liberals supported euthanasia 41 % more than the odds of conservatives and moderates. In model two, euthanasia with abortion beliefs, differences show that religion increased, gender decreased, and education was not significant

Presented to Lionel Hampton

Certificate. 14""x11"" Proclamation with gold foil Seal of the Town of Babylon and blue, white, and red ribbons To Lionel Hampton from the Town Council of Babylon on the occasion of his visit on April 15, 1988. Arthur G. Pitts, Supervisor and members of the Council. Babylon, NY, Mar. 15, [1988]300 dpi, 8-bit depth, color, Nikon D100 digital camera, Nikon Capture 4, Adobe Photoshop 7.0, Archival Master file is a TIF

Erotic Labor within and without Work

In this interview, femi babylon elaborates a proheaux womanist theory of erotic labor as at once work and antiwork. “Sex work is work” speaks to the realities of erotic labor as a survival strategy and illuminates the connections among erotic labor and other forms of gig work. At the same time, it can operate as a bid for respectability, and one that occludes erotic labor as a strategy for refusing the work ethic. Thinking through the politics of the survival sex/sex work binary, the (dis)connections among wives and whores, and the intersections of whorephobia and misogynoir in conversations about sex worker motherhood, babylon engages key points of debate in sex worker theory today.</jats:p