Dissertations / Theses on the topic '85A40'

Une très faible lumière nous parvient depuis le ciel. Celle-ci n'est pas uniformément répartie sur la carte du ciel mais présente des anistropies. En analysant ces anistropies, nous pouvons déduire son spectre de puissance, ce qui nous permet de déduire les paramètres de l'univers. En supposant que le modèle statistique de génération de ces anistropies soit un modèle hiéarchique linéaire Gaussien et en ajoutant une distribution a priori sur les paramètres, nous pouvons faire de l'inférence Bayésienne sur ces paramètres. Ceci nous permet d'avoir non pas seulement un estimateur ponctuel des paramètres mais aussi des barres d'erreur sur ces quantités. Afin de mener à bien cette inférence, nous reprenons et développons l'échantillonneur de Gibbs utilisé jusque là dans la littérature sur l'analyse du fond diffus cosmologique. Nous proposons un moyen de raccourcir le temps de résolution d'un système en très grande dimension tout en gardant la distribution cible invariante. Nous proposons également un algorithme basé sur une variable auxiliaire pour contourner cette résolution. Finalement, en présentant les paramétrisations centrée et non centrée, nous utilisons une stratégie d'interweaving afin d'avoir un algorithme mélangeant bien sur l'ensemble du ratio signal sur bruit.Le second projet concerne la compression des chaînes de MCMC. Sous-échantillonner une chaîne de Markov augmente toujours la variance asymptotique de l'estimateur obtenu. Nous voulons donc garder les points les plus représentatifs afin que cette variance asymptotique n'augmente pas trop. En utilisant une méthode d'échantillonnage pour des sondages et des "control variates", nous proposons une méthode en deux étapes afin de ne garder les points les plus représentatifs de la loi cible parmi une chaîne de MCMC: d'abord, nous utilisons des control-variates afin d'obtenir un estimateur s'écrivant comme une somme pondérée de la chaîne initiale. Ensuite, nous utilisons la méthode du cube afin de sous-échantillonner la chaîne pondérée obtenue à l'étape précédente. Nous proposons une façon de gérer les poids négatifs que la première étape peut donner. Nous proposons également deux façons d'avoir des control-variates: l'une, basée sur le "Stein trick" et la seconde, basée sur les control-variates de Gibbs. Ainsi, notre méthode ne nécessite pas la fonction de score
We receive a faint light from the sky. This light is not uniform on the map of the sky but presents anisotropies. From these anisotropies, we can deduce its power spectrum, which in turn allows us to determine the cosmological parameters of the universe. Assuming the statistical model generating the sky map is a hierarchical linear Gaussian model and adding a prior distribution on the parameters, we can make Bayesian inference on these parameters. This allows us not only to have point estimates of the parameters, but also error bars on these quantities. In order to make this inference, we further develop the usual Gibbs sampler used in the CMB data analysis literature. We propose a way to shorten the resolution of a very high dimensional system while keeping the target distribution invariant. We also offer an algorithm based on an auxiliary variable to get around this resolution. Finally, using the concepts of centered and non centered parametrization, we use an interweaving strategy to have good mixing properties on the entire signal-to-noise ratio range.The second project regards the compression of MCMC chains. Subsampling a Markov chain always increases the asymptotic variance of the resulting estimator. Hence we want to keep the points that are the most representative so that this variance does not increase too much. Using a survey sampling method and control variates, we propose a two steps procedure to keep the points that are the most representative of the target distribution out of a MCMC chain: first, we use control-variates in order to get an estimator which writes as a weighted sum of the chain. Then, we use the cube method to subsample the weighted chain we got at the end of the first step. We propose a way to deal with negative weights arising at the first step, which are incompatible with the cube method. We also provide two ways to build control-variates: one based on the Stein trick and the other one based on the Gibbs control variates. Hence, our method does not necessitate the availability of the score function

While studies indicate there is a strong link between pro-environmental values and behaviour, they also show that such values are not necessarily enacted consistently across all areas of our lives. There are many psychosocial factors that can affect congruent enactment. Improving our understanding of what these factors are and how they influence cognition and behaviour is critical for subverting our inadequate response to ecological crisis, yet it is an area that remains under explored. In this thesis I investigate factors affecting enactment of pro-environmental values by individuals in organisational contexts. Integrating Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with frame and metaphor analysis in an innovative transdisciplinary and cross-level methodology, my study enquires into the lived, embodied and situated experience of six sustainability managers and leaders in the UK and Canada in their work to influence pro-environmental practices in their organisations. Using semi- structured interviews as the primary data source, over 70 highly nuanced and in-depth findings are generated, enriching our understanding of psychological threat coping strategies from a systemic perspective: • Sources of threats and tensions that arise for sustainability managers in their work to influence organisational practices (e.g. thwarted autonomy, competency or relatedness needs, incongruence in values) • Types of coping strategies used to negotiate these tensions (including identity work, emotion regulation, seeking support from external partners, constructing a motivational story, nature connection) • Ecologically adaptive and maladaptive outcomes of these responses for the individual and the organisation (including indirect impacts on vitality and effectiveness) • Factors affecting the efficacy of adaptive coping strategies (e.g. type of motivation, type of self-awareness, cognitive frames about nature) • Contextual factors (organisational, cultural worldview) • How these factors interact with each other, creating feedback loops The conceptual models I have constructed make these largely unconscious psychosocial processes visible; and may be of practical use to individuals in facilitating deeper awareness of the dynamics in their situation and helping to identify where interventions can be made to improve their efficacy and resilience in influencing pro-environmental change in their organisations.

Analisi dell'introduzione di tecniche additive nel processo produttivo di airbox nel settore automotive, attraverso lo studio della tecnologia additiva e delle principali tecniche che ne fanno parte. Valutazione delle capacità delle tecniche additive per confrontarle con tecniche di produzione tradizionale, attraverso l'analisi prestazionale, dei costi e dei tempi di produzione.

In a context of compelling evidence from both the US and UK suggesting that R&D investment is positively related to operating and/or market performance, at a first stance this PhD Thesis examines the relation between R&D investment and persistence in operating and market performance using a large dataset of UK companies during the period 1990-2003. The findings confirm the relation between R&D intensity and consistent growth in sales and gross income but only when taking the industry sector in which a firm operates into account. Moreover, the evidence found indicates a positive relation between R&D intensity and subsequent risk-adjusted excess stock returns among firms that engage in R&D. There is also shown that R&D intensity improves persistence in excess stock returns: the highest R&D intensity firms are found to earn higher risk-adjusted excess returns than the sample median return more consistently, compared to lower R&D intensity firms, as well as firms with no R&D. The weight of the evidence is consistent with some form of mispricing related to the market's slow adjustment to the emerging evidence of significant enhancement in operating performance following recent R&D investment. The Thesis also examines whether R&D plays a role in the relationship between dispersion in analysts' earnings forecasts and returns, given that R&D has been testified empirically in prior literature as an influencing factor for both forecast dispersion and stock returns separately, and forecast dispersion on its own has been identified as a factor with an impact on returns. In addition, in the context of existing evidence on R&D being positively related with greater analyst forecast errors, the Thesis goes one step further and examines the impact of R&D, intensity on forecast revisions. The hypothesis is in favour of a positive association between R&D and the magnitude of revisions, due to the inherent uncertainty of the R&D investment. These topics are examined again for UK listed firms in the period 1990-2003 and there is testified that R&D intensity is a contributing factor for analyst forecast dispersion for the UK, confirming prior findings for the US. There is confirmed a negative relationship between forecast dispersion and returns, which is found to hold even after controlling for the impact of R&D on returns. After decomposing dispersion in analysts' forecasts into analyst forecast uncertainty and a pure differences in opinion part, there is also found that as R&D intensity increases, the ability of R&D to influence returns also increases for high dispersion and high forecast uncertainty firms, but the ability of R&D to influence returns is getting very week for high divergence of opinion firms. This finding implies that in the presence of high R&D intensity, dispersion has an impact on returns mainly through the forecast uncertainty component of forecast dispersion, and not through the divergence of opinion component. Finally, there is generally found a positive relationship between R&D intensity and forecast errors and revisions, which is most times statistically significant though only in the case of revisions, when there exists a reasonable amount of time between the initial and the revised analyst forecast, after controlling for other factors.

The effects of androgens reach far and wide and can be physiological as well as pathological. They are not limited to males and involve almost every system in the human body. Their influence on reproductive development and behaviours is well studied, but more recently, attention has turned to the wider reaching consequences of androgen exposure. Disorders of sex development (DSD) are rare conditions in which individuals may be deficient in, or resistant to, the effects of androgens. The long-term health and quality of life for these individuals is not well reported, but where there are reports, there are descriptions of increased depressive like behaviours, anxiety and poor social functioning. Lack of androgens has been linked to poorer neurocognitive outcomes in some studies and there is a concern that more aggressive hormone replacement should be considered in early life for those individuals lacking in androgens. These disorders can be difficult to study for many reasons. Firstly, they are rare conditions. Secondly, adults with DSD do not tend to visit hospital regularly and can therefore be challenging to engage in research. Thirdly, studying the effects of early life exposure to steroid hormones and relating these to later life behaviours is incredibly complex. Animal models have been used for many years to study the hormonal environment. For my first study, I used a model of rodent neonatal androgen blockade by treating pups with the anti-androgen flutamide for the first five days of life. The animals were studied again in adolescence (6 weeks of age) and early adulthood (10 weeks of age). There were no significant differences found in testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and androstenedione levels in either age group, demonstrating that the androgen blockade was transient. The anogenital index (AGI) was significantly shorter in the treated animals when compared to controls at 6 weeks of age and 10 weeks of age. Phallus length was significantly shorter in treated males when compared to the healthy males at 6 weeks of age and at 10 weeks of age. Phallus weight was significantly lower in the treated animals at 10 weeks of age when compared to the healthy animals. This work demonstrated that my rodent model of neonatal androgen blockade was an effective one. My next study used the same rodent model and aimed to link the perinatal hormonal environment with in vivo brain chemistry using a painless, non-invasive technique known as Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Using a mixed effects model, I analysed the effects of sex, gender, treatment with flutamide and age on the metabolite pattern of the rodent brain. Ɣ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glucose, glutamine, glutamate, phosphocholine and myo-inositol all changed over time. The combined peaks of glutamate and glutamine also demonstrated a significant change over time. GABA, glutamate, phosphocholine and myo-inositol showed significant sex differences as did the combined peaks of glycerophosphocholine and phosphocholine, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) and glutamate and glutamine. Aspartate, GABA and myo-inositol were all significantly changed by treatment of the animals with flutamide and GABA and myo-inositol levels in treated males were similar to control females at both 6 and 10 weeks. My final study using the rodent model of androgen blockade looked at the histological changes in the brain. Brains were sectioned and stained for neuronal cell counts and microglial cell counts, and PCR for the Androgen Receptor (AR) was performed. I demonstrated significant, sexually dimorphic changes in neuronal cell counts, microglial cell counts and androgen receptor expression in two clearly defined areas in the rodent brain. In summary, my rodent work demonstrated a link between the neonatal hormonal environment and the sexually dimorphic chemistry and histology of the in vivo brain, and supports the hypothesis that the microglial cell plays a critical role in brain masculinisation. To include a translational aspect to this thesis I extended my work to a population of undermasculinised boys, who were attending hospital for an hCG stimulation test as part of their investigations for 46 XY DSD. The hCG stimulation test is a valuable method for assessing androgen production but there is a need to explore its utility in assessing androgen responsiveness and long-term prognosis. I aimed to assess the effects of the hCG test on the in vivo brain chemistry using MRS, and the peripheral transcriptome using microarray. I reliably demonstrated metabolites in the brains of healthy male infants, healthy female infants and affected male infants. Healthy male infants had significantly lower levels of N-acetylaspartate than affected males in the hypothalamus and lower levels of the phosphocholines in the frontal cortex. In my transcriptomic study of DSD patients, I demonstrated the existence of an androgen responsive group of small RNAs that are measurable in peripheral mononuclear blood cells, and that change over the short duration of an hCG stimulation test, raising the prospect of combining the biochemical assessment of testosterone production with an objective molecular assessment of androgen sufficiency. In summary, in this thesis I have successfully linked the early hormonal environment with later life in vivo brain chemistry, confirmed by histological studies. I have also identified a novel marker, which could potentially be used as an assessment of androgen sufficiency in the future.

Se ha observado en los últimos años un incremento del personal de enfermería con formación de grado, lo cual influye en un aumento cuantitativo, pero no denota ni se observa un cambio sustancial en cuanto a la mejora en la atención de pacientes. Es por ello que el presente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo fundamental determinar en qué medida la formación de grado de los enfermeros, se refleja en las intervenciones de enfermería al atender a pacientes. Es un estudio de tipo cuantitativo, no experimental de corte transversal y aplicado. La muestra tomada fue no aleatoria e intencional, seleccionando un total de 63 licenciados, que se desempeñan en las áreas de internación, a los que se les realizó una entrevista personal mediante un cuestionario estructurado con preguntas cerradas.
Fil: Guajardo, Andrea. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Escuela de Enfermería..

Transition from preschool to first grade primary school has been an important topic for worldwide researchers concerned about the promotion of an effective adaptation process for children entering primary school. Studies have highlighted the importance of this process for children’s academic and personal development. The main aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of transition between preschool and first grade primary school held by teachers, headteachers and parents in the public education system in Mexico City. A questionnaire was developed based on previous transition studies and administered to a sample 15 preschool and 15 primary school teachers. A semi-structured interview was conducted with five parents from preschool and primary school and five headteachers from preschool and primary school in Mexico City. Overall, the results revealed that teachers moderately used some practices (e.g., creating children´s portfolio), whilst some practices were rarely used (e.g., primary school visits). Teachers rarely carry out activities with families and other teachers. Teachers’ reported children´s problems mostly focused on behaviour and following directions. Working in the same school for a number of years, predicted more family involvement in school matters. Preschool teachers who attended more specialised courses reported more children´s problems. Parents and headteachers are aware of this transition and concerned about children’s lack of academic skills; however neither group employs a range of effective transition practices to support children. These findings are in line with the international literature, however, further research is needed to address particularities in Latin American contexts. Findings from this study open a window for further research in Mexican educational settings focused on current educational policy reforms. Implications are discussed for research, policy and practice.

Theoretical and numerical studies of chaotic mixing are performed to circumvent the difficulties of efficient mixing, which come from the lack of turbulence in microfluidic devices. In order to carry out efficient and accurate parametric studies and to identify a fully chaotic state, a spectral element algorithm for solution of the incompressible Navier-Stokes and species transport equations is developed. Using Taylor series expansions in time marching, the new algorithm employs an algebraic factorization scheme on multi-dimensional staggered spectral element grids, and extends classical conforming Galerkin formulations to nonconforming spectral elements. Lagrangian particle tracking methods are utilized to study particle dispersion in the mixing device using spectral element and fourth order Runge-Kutta discretizations in space and time, respectively. Comparative studies of five different techniques commonly employed to identify the chaotic strength and mixing efficiency in microfluidic systems are presented to demonstrate the competitive advantages and shortcomings of each method. These are the stirring index based on the box counting method, Poincare sections, finite time Lyapunov exponents, the probability density function of the stretching field, and mixing index inverse, based on the standard deviation of scalar species distribution. Series of numerical simulations are performed by varying the Peclet number (Pe) at fixed kinematic conditions. The mixing length (lm) is characterized as function of the Pe number, and lm ∝ ln(Pe) scaling is demonstrated for fully chaotic cases. Employing the aforementioned techniques, optimum kinematic conditions and the actuation frequency of the stirrer that result in the highest mixing/stirring efficiency are identified in a zeta potential patterned straight micro channel, where a continuous flow is generated by superposition of a steady pressure driven flow and time periodic electroosmotic flow induced by a stream-wise AC electric field. Finally, it is shown that the invariant manifold of hyperbolic periodic point determines the geometry of fast mixing zones in oscillatory flows in two-dimensional cavity.

Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2013.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 41-42).
In this thesis, my goal is to determine a rectangular 3D cuboid that outlines the boundaries of a cuboid-shaped object shown in an image. The position of the corners of each cuboid are manually labeled, or annotated, in a 2D color image. Given the color image, the labels, and a 2D depth image of the same scene, an algorithm extrapolates a cuboid's 3D position, orientation, and size characteristics by minimizing two quantities: the deviation of each estimated corner's projected position from its annotated position in 2D space and the distance from each estimated surface to the observed points associated with that surface in 3D space. I found that this approach successfully estimated the 3D boundaries of a cuboid object for 72.6% of the cuboids in a data set of 1,089 manually-labeled cuboids in images taken from the SUN3D database.
by Erika Lee.
M. Eng.

Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2013.
Some pages landscape orientation. Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-218).
The identification of coherent structures enhances the understanding of transport by complex flows such as those found at the ocean surface. The rapidly developing approach of Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs) is based on the identification of codimension-1 structures that are locally the strongest repelling material surfaces in forwards or backwards-time over a given time window. Current theory and methods regarding LCSs are surveyed, and we present a modified algorithm for their detection, highlighting the pros and cons of the modified approach. One beneficial aspect of the modified approach is that it is possible to classify and advect LCSs through the time window. We apply the improved detection scheme as well as the classification to a high quality, validated simulation of ocean surface flow near the Ningaloo reef along the coast of Western Australia. This region is home to the longest fringing reef in Australia, a diverse marine environment, and a growing offshore drilling industry, and understanding the surface flows will enable better informed decisions to be made in this environmentally delicate domain. In addition to applying the LCS techniques, for the first time we account for the impact of surface winds on the LCS field by creating a hybrid current-wind velocity field. While the LCS approach is based on rigorous dynamical systems theory, its reliance on an accurate velocity field restricts potential ocean applications to simulations or regions with surface velocity measurements via systems like HF radar stations. An untapped resource is the data collected from float trajectories. With the goal of eventual application to these data sets, we develop a coherent structure detection algorithm utilizing sparse trajectory data. This new approach is based on the application of tools from braid theory, which produce a simplified perspective of the mixing of two-dimensional systems that enables rapid analysis. As a first application, our braid-based approach is applied to a periodically stirred system.
by Michael R. Allshouse.
Ph. D.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), the vine mealybug, is of economic importance to the wine and table grape (viticulture) industries, as it characteristically causes more damage than other mealybug species. Mealybug infestations contaminate grapes with their waxy secretions, egg-sacs and honeydew production, on which sooty mould grows, resulting in the fruit being unmarketable. Many export grapes are rejected, prior to shipment, as a result of infestations and phytosanitary concerns with regard to mealybug infestations. They are also vectors for various plant viruses. Up to date, the most common method of mealybug control in South Africa has been the use of chemical insecticides. Unfortunately, mealybugs are difficult to control chemically, due to their secretive/hidden lifestyle, where chemicals do not reach them. Of great concern is the ability of mealybugs to rapidly build up resistance to insecticides as well as the negative environmental effects associated with chemical pesticide use. Alternatively, entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), belonging to the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae, have been identified as lethal insect pathogens and their insecticidal action, towards a variety of insect pests, has proven them to be valuable and effective biocontrol agents. Laboratory bio-assays, to determine the ability of eight different EPN isolates to infect and kill P. ficus, were conducted. Six of the isolates were indigenous species and the other two, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema feltiae, were produced in Germany and are commercially available in South Africa. Planococcus ficus was highly susceptible to two indigenous species, Heterorhabditis zealandica and Steinernema yirgalemense; responsible for 96% ± 2% and 65% ± 10% mealybug mortalities, respectively. Biological studies illustrated that both H. zealandica and S. yirgalemense are able to complete their life cycles within adult female P. ficus. There was no significant difference in the pathogenicity of commercially produced H. bacteriophora, recycled through an insect host, and those from the formulated commercial product. However, commercially produced S. feltiae individuals, that were recycled through an insect host, were statistically more effective than those that were not. The LC50 and LC90 values for H. zealandica, in the current study, were 19 and 82 infective juveniles (IJs) respectively, which were similar to the LC50 and LC90 values for S. yirgalemense at 13 and 80, respectively. The LC50 and LC90, for commercially available H. bacteriophora, were greater than they were for both H. zealandica and S. yirgalemense, with values of 36 and 555, respectively. Such results indicate that there is a definite positive relationship which exists between the concentration of IJs of all three nematode species, used for inoculation, and the percentage mortality of P. ficus. Sand column tests resulted in S. yirgalemense outperforming H. zealandica significantly, with average mortalities of 95% ± 1.4% and 82% ± 4.1%, respectively. As a result S. yirgalemense was chosen for further studies in the field. IJs of commercially produced H. bacteriophora and S. feltiae were exposed to imidacloprid in laboratory bioassays to determine the effect on survival and infectivity. This study established the fact that these two EPN species can be applied, in combination with imidacloprid, in an integrated pest management scheme. Soil application field trials at Welgevallen and Nietvoorbij, using S. yirgalemense and mealybugs in Eppendorf tubes, buried 15 cm in the soil, resulted in 50% ± 10% and 52% ± 12% mealybug mortalities, respectively, when applying IJs at a concentration of 80 IJs/cm2. No significant difference was found between mealybug mortalities as a result of the three IJ concentrations applied (20, 40 and 80 IJs/cm2) for both vineyards. Persistence trials indicated that after four months post application, Cydia pomonella larval mortalities showed no significant reduction in infectivity on the Welgevallen vineyard, while on the Nietvoorbij vineyard there were no larval mortalities. Tests to establish whether or not S. yirgalemense and H. zealandica produced ant deterrent factors, showed no significant differences between the number of intact cadavers for both nematode species and for cadavers that were either four or six days old. There is, however, indication that deterrent factors may be in action in cadavers that were used six days after inoculation with 60% and 49% remaining intact for H. zealandica and S. yirgalemense infected cadavers respectively. All freeze killed cadavers were consumed by Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Argentine ant). The effects of low temperatures on EPN movement and infectivity were tested for H. zealandica and S. yirgalemense in the laboratory. The mortality of P. ficus at 14˚C, as opposed to 25˚C, for S. yirgalemense and H. zealandica were found to be 9.1% ± 2.6% and 2.5% ± 1.2% respectively. Vertical sand column tests were also conducted at 14˚C for S. yirgalemense and H. zealandica, which produced low mealybug mortalities of 3.5% ± 2.4% and 8.5% ± 1.4% respectively. This illustrates the low infectivity of the two local species at low temperatures. Laboratory persistence trials, conducted over a period of four months with S. yirgalemense, showed steady persistence of 100%, while H. zealandica had a statistically significant decrease of codling moth mortalities to 44% ± 5%. A three armed olfactometer was designed to establish if S. yirgalemense responds and moves towards chemical cues in the soil. A significant greater average number of IJs moved towards the grape vine roots (246 ± 0.124 IJs), than to the mealybugs (133 ± 0.168 IJs) and to the control (4 ± 1.02 IJs). This demonstrates that S. yirgalemense does actively seek out its hosts and that volatile cues produced by damaged grape vine roots, are more attractive to the EPN than cues produced by P. ficus. This study illustrates that S. yirgalemense has great potential as a biopesticide for controlling P. ficus in the soil of South African grape vineyards. Emphasis was placed on soil application of S. yirgalemense in the field, which produced good results, while laboratory tests indicate the potential for further aerial field application trials on grape vines. As the EPNs are not negatively affected by the agrochemical imidacloprid, the simultaneous use and combined action of both agents will potentially provide the farmer with excellent control against P. ficus. Further field- and aerial application studies will complement the current study and hopefully provide positive results for the efficient control of P. ficus found on grape vines.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), die wingerd witluis, is van groot ekonomiese belang vir die wyn en tafeldruif industrieë, aangesien dit kenmerkend meer skade veroorsaak as enige ander witluis spesies. Witluis infestasies besmet druiwe met hulle wasagtige afskeidings, eierssakke en heuningdou produksie, waarop swamme groei, wat tot gevolg het dat die druiwe onbemarkbaar is. Baie besendings druiwe, bestem vir uitvoer, word afgekeur weens witluis besmettings en ook as gevolg van fitosanitêre oorwegings. Hulle tree ook op as vektore van verskeie plantvirusse. Die mees algemene manier waarmee witluis in Suid-Afrika beheer word, is chemiese behandeling. Ongelukkig is witluis baie moeilik om chemies te beheer vanweë hulle verskuilde lewenswyse wat dit moeilik maak vir chemikalieë om hulle te bereik. Die vermoë van witluis om vinnig weerstand op te bou teen insekdoders, asook die negatiewe effek van chemiese middels op die omgewing, is kommerwekkend. Alternatiewelik, kan entomopatogeniese nematodes (EPNs) van die families Heterorhabditidae en Steinernematidae gebruik word vir die beheer van witluis. Hierdie nematodes is geïdentifiseer is as dodelike insek patogene, vir ʼn groot verskeidenheid van pes insekte en daar is bewys dat hulle as waardevolle en effektiewe biologiese beheer agente kan optree. Laboratorium biotoetse is gedoen om die vermoë van agt EPN isolate te evalueer om P. ficus te beheer. Ses van die EPN isolate is inheems, terwyl die ander twee, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora en Steinernema feltiae, in Duitsland produseer is en kommersieel beskikbaar is in Suid-Afrika. Planococcus ficus is hoogs vatbaar vir die twee inheemse EPN spesies, naamlik Heterorhabditis zealandica en Steinernema yirgalemense en hulle is verantwoordelik vir 96% ± 2% en 65% ± 10% van witluis mortaliteit. Biologiese studies het aangetoon dat beide H. zealandica en S. yirgalemense in staat is om hul lewensiklus te voltooi in volwasse wyfies van P. ficus. Daar is geen beduidende verskil gevind in die patogenisiteit van die geformuleerde kommersiële produk H. bacteriophora en dié wat in vivo geproduseer is nie. Daar is egter in die geval van S. feltiae, gevind dat die nematodes, wat in insekte produseer is, statisties beduidend meer effektief was, as dié wat kommersieel beskikbaar was. Die LC50 en die LC90 waardes van H. zealandica, in die huidige studie, was 19 en 82 infektiewe larwes (IJs), wat baie naby die LC50 en LC90 waarders van S. yirgalemense van 13 en 80 was. Die LC50 en LC90 vir die kommersieel beskikbare H. bacteriophora was groter as vir beide H. zealandica en S. yirgalemense, met waardes van 36 en 555 onderskeidelik. Hierdie resultate dui daarop dat daar ʼn positiewe verwantskap bestaan tussen die konsentrasie van die IJs van drie EPN spesies en die persentasie mortaliteit van P. ficus. Sand kolomtoetse dui daarop dat S. yirgalemense baie beter vaar as H. zealandica met gemiddelde mortaliteite van 95% ± 1.4% en 82% ± 4.1% onderskeidelik. Op grond van hierdie resultate is S. yirgalemense gebruik vir verdere veld studies. IJs van kommersieel geproduseerde H. bacteriophora en S. feltiae is in laboratorium biotoetse blootgestel aan imidacloprid om die effek op die oorlewing en infektiewe vermoë vas te stel. Hierdie studie het aangetoon dat die twee EPN spesies aangewend kan word saam met imidacloprid in ʼn geïntegreerde plaagbestuur opset. Grond aanwendings is in veld proewe by Welgevallen en Nietvoorbij gedoen deur gebruik te maak van S. yirgalemense en P. ficus volwasse wyfies in Eppendorf buisies, 15 cm in die grond begrawe, het albei 50% ± 10% en 52% ± 10% witluis mortaliteit, respektiewelik, tot gevolg gehad, met die toediening van nematodes teen ʼn konsentrasie van 80 IJs/cm2. Geen beduidende verskille is gevind tussen die witluismortaliteit en die resultate van die verskillende EPN konsentrasies (20, 40 en 80 IJs/cm2) wat op beide wingerde toegedien is nie. Oorlewings toetse het aangedui dat, drie maande na toediening, met Cydia pomonella as indikator, geen beduidende verskille in die infeksie potensiaal van die Welgevallen wingerd to gevolg gehad het nie, terwyl daar op die Nietvoorbij wingerd geen verdere larvale mortaliteit gevind is was nie. Toetse om vas te stel of S. yirgalemense en H. zealandica afkrikmiddels vir miere in besmette insek kadawers produseer het aangetoon dat daar geen beduidende verskil is tussen die getal kadawers wat intakt is vir beide EPN spesies en kadawers wat vier of ses dae oud is nie. Daar is egter aangetoon dat die afskrikmiddels wel ses dae na infeksie deur insek kadawers afgeskei word; aangesien 60% en 49% van die oorblywende kadawers nog volledig was toe dit geïnfekteer was met H. zealandica en S. yirgalemense, onderskeidelik. Al die insek kadawers, wat deur bevriesing doodgemaak is, was deur Linepithema humile (Mayr) (Argentynse mier) verorber.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Most terrestrial plants make use of beneficial symbiotic associations to obtain nutrients (eg. nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P)) from fungi in exchange for photoautotrophic carbon. However, plant parasitism (defined here as the ability of certain plants to parasitize other living material) has evolved in the plant kingdom and such plants obtain some, or all, of their nutritional needs from a host, which is severely negatively impacted by the parasite. While the physiological adaptations are well studied, the underlying molecular and biochemical mechanisms of plant parasitism remain largely unknown. As a first approach, a biochemical blueprint of primary metabolites present within parasitic plant species was constructed. The metabolomes of nineteen parasitic plants, ranging from hemi- and holoparasitism to mycoheterotrophism, were profiled via gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC MS) based technology and targeted spectrophotometric assays. Based on these analyses, three important observations were made. First, parasitic plants were severely carbon deprived, despite being successful in colonizing and exploiting their hosts. Second, the levels of organic acids participating in mitochondrial respiration decreased and certain amino acids and soluble protein content increased. This suggests that parasitic plants utilize alternative respiratory substrates to compensate for a limitation in carbon supply. Third, although characterized by reduced carbohydrate pools, minor sugars normally not associated with plant metabolism, dominated the soluble sugar pool. The presence and significance of one of these sugars, namely turanose (α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-fructofuranose), was further investigated. Turanose biosynthetic reactions could be demonstrated in Orobanche minor extracts. Protein purification and mass spectrometry identification suggested that turanose biosynthesis occurred uniquely in parasitic plants. Future work will elucidate the functional significance of turanose metabolism in plant parasitism. Taken together, this study significantly contributes to our understanding of plant parasitism through development of metabolic signatures associated with distinct parasitic classes. These biochemical profiles highlighted several important strategies and alternative metabolic pathways that are either expressed or constitutively activated during parasitism. This knowledge broadens the scope of using parasitic plants in several biotechnological applications or as a novel research tool to address fundamental questions in plant science.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Meeste landelike plante maak gebruik van voordelige simbiotiese assosiasies met swamme om voedinsgtowwe (bv. stikstof (N) en fosfor (P)) van hulle te verkry in ruil vir koolstof geproduseer deur die plant. Plant parasitisme (gedefinieer hier as die vermoë van sekere plante om ander lewende materiaal te parasiteer) het ontwikkel in die planteryk waar hulle sommige, of al hul voedings stowwe van 'n gasheer plant ontvang, wat erg negatief geraak word deur die parasiet. Terwyl die fisiologiese aanpassings goed gebestudeer is, is die onderliggende molekulêre en biochemiese meganismes van plant parasitisme steeds grootliks onbekend. As 'n eerste benadering, was hierdie projek geïnisieer om 'n biochemiese bloudruk op te bou van primêre metaboliete teenwoordig in parasitiese plante. Die metabolome van negentien parasitiese spesies, wat wissel van hemi - en holoparasiete tot mikoheterotrofiese plante, is ondersoek deur gas chromatografie – massa spektrometrie (GC MS) gebaseerde tegnologie en geteikende spektrofotometriese toetse. Gebaseer op hierdie ontledings was drie belangrike waarnemings gemaak. Eerstens, parasitiese plante was erg koolstof arm, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle suksesvol is in die aanhegting en ontginning van voedingstowwe vanaf gasheer plante. Tweedens, die vlakke van organiese sure wat deelneem aan mitochondriale respirasie het afgeneem, terwyl sekere aminosure en oplosbare proteïen inhoude toegeneem het. Dit dui daarop dat parasitiese plante gebruik maak van alternatiewe respiratoriese substrate om te vergoed vir 'n beperking in koolstof aanbod. Derde, alhoewel parasitiese plante gekenmerk word deur verminderde koolhidraat inhoude, het skaarse suikers wat normaalweg nie verband hou met plant metabolisme nie, hulle oplosbare suiker inhoud oorheers. Die teenwoordigheid en betekenis van een van hierdie suikers, naamlik turanose (α -D -glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-fructofuranose), was verder ondersoek. Die sintese reaksie van turanose kan gedemonstreer word in Orobanche hederae uittreksels. Proteïen suiwering en massa spektrometrie identifikasie het voorgestel dat turanose biosintese uniek plaasvind in parasitiese plante. Toekomstige werk sal aandui wat die betekenis is van turanose metabolisme in plant parasitisme. Saamgevat het hierdie studie aansienlik bygedra tot ons begrip van plant parasitisme deur ontwikkeling van metaboliese handtekeninge wat verband hou met onderskeie parasitiese klasse. Hierdie biochemiese profiele beklemtoon verskeie belangrike strategieë en alternatiewe metaboliese paaie wat óf uitgedruk of konstitutief geaktiveer word tydens parasitisme. Hierdie kennis verbreed die omvang van die gebruik van parasitiese plante in verskeie biotegnologiese toepassings of as 'n nuwe navorsings instrument om fundamentele vrae in plant wetenskap aan te spreek.

O estudo desta tese objetiva extrair dos acervos históricos (fotografias, cartões postais antigos e fascículos da Pelotas Memória, de Nelson Nobre Magalhães - 1944-2007 - ), um diálogo interpretativo e metodológico para revelar paisagens na cidade de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, a partir de um giro fotográfico de 360º nos telhados da cidade sobre um eixo determinado, seguindo os critérios de localização (estar situado na área embrionária do espaço urbano, o primeiro loteamento) e acessibilidade (identificação das edificações verticais nesta área, como maneira de encontrar o melhor ponto de visão da cidade). Para este estudo foi adotada a noção de rasgos no espaço urbano, como os recortes-pedaços que se mantêm presos ao todo, o espaço. Neste sentido, as fontes de pesquisas associadas aos atuais registros fotográficos são consideradas símbolos espaciais, lembranças das (re)apropriações por parte da sociedade relacionadas a sua base material particular, específica. Para o processo interpretativo dos rasgos no espaço urbano, foram utilizadas como corpo metodológico, as bases teóricas que estruturam os estudos referentes ao espaço geográfico, à paisagem e aos suportes iconográficos (fotografias e cartões postais antigos). Com base neste estudo, foi possível conferir aos suportes iconográficos, como uma expressão simbólica da paisagem, recortes presos ao espaço. Neste sentido, as fotografias e cartões postais podem ser analisados a partir dos estudos da paisagem, envolvendo a noção de área, de modo de vida, de conteúdo simbólico (social, cultural, econômico e político) e de meio para interpretação do espaço. O procedimento metodológico adotado na tese foi a análise de conteúdo com base nas seguintes categorias: forma (identificar e analisar a distribuição do(s) objeto(s) no conjunto do espaço urbano); função (analisar as tarefas/intencionalidades no processo de criação do(s) objeto(s) e identificar os modos de vida da sociedade no tempo e no espaço); estrutura (identificar a estrutura demográfica de produção, de renda, de consumo, a partir do(s) objeto(s) no tempo); processo (identificar, a partir das fotografias, cartões postais e fascículos as principais transformações sociais, culturais, econômicas e políticas ocorridas ao longo do período). O processo de construção e análise deste estudo aponta que o caminho de investigação da ciência geográfica alimenta outros olhares para compreender as marcas na paisagem da urbe e, desta maneira, proporciona (re)ler, (re)escrever e (re)descobrir a cidade, como uma expressão para encontrar e criar outros sentidos na leitura geográfica da cidade e do espaço urbano como mundos imediatos.
The study of this thesis aims to extract the historical collections (photographs, old postcards and booklets of Memory Pelotas, de Nelson Nobre Magalhães - 1944-2007 - ), a methodological and interpretive dialogue to reveal landscapes in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, from a photographic turning of 360º on the roofs of the city on a given axis, following location criteria(being situated in the embryo of urban space, the first subdivision)and accessibility (identification of vertical buildings in this area, as a way to find the best vantage point of the city).For this study we adopted the notion of urban space in tears, as the clippings-pieces that remain attached to the whole, the space. In this sense, the sources of research associated with current photographic records are considered symbols spatial symbols, memories of reappropriation by society related to its specific material base. For the interpretive process of tears in the urban space, were used as body methodological, theoretical bases that structure the studies relating to the geographic space, landscape and iconographic media (photographs, and old postcards). Based on this study, it was possible to see theiconographic media, as a symbolic expression of the landscape, clippings stuck in space. In this sense, the photographs and postcards can be analyzed from the landscape studies, involving aerial notion, of lifestyle, symbolic content (social, cultural, economic and political) and means for interpretation of the space. The methodological approach adopted in this thesis was the analysis of content based on the following categories: form (identify and analyze the distribution of the objectin the set of urban space); function (analyzing tasks / intentions in the process of object creation and identifying ways of life of society in time and space); structure (identify the demographic structure of production, income, consumption from the objects in time); process (identify from the photographs, postcards and booklets major social, cultural, economic and political changes over the period). The process of construction and analysis of this study shows that the researching way of geographical science feeds other looks to understand patterns in the landscape of the city and thus, provides reread, rewrite and rediscover the city as an expression to find and create other meanings in geographical reading of the city and urban space as immediate worlds.
El estudio de esta tesis tiene como objetivo extraer de acervos históricos (fotografías, postales antiguos y publicaciones de Pelotas Memoria, de Nelson Noble Magalhães - 1944-2007 - ), un diálogo interpretativo y metodológico para entender paisajes en la ciudad de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, desde una visión fotográfica de 360º sobre los tejados de la ciudad y un determinado eje, siguiendo los criterios de ubicación (situado en el área embrionaria del espacio urbano, el primer lote) y la accesibilidad (identificación de los edificios verticales en esta área, como una manera de encontrar la mejor mirada de la ciudad). Para este estudio se adoptó el concepto de detalles en el espacio urbano, como los recortes de piezas que permanecen unidos al todo, al conjunto. En este sentido, las fuentes de investigación relacionados con los registros fotográficos actuales se consideran símbolos espaciales, recuerdos de las (re)apropiaciones por parte de la sociedad en relación con su base material particular, específica. Para el proceso de interpretación de los rasgos en el espacio urbano, se utilizaron como cuerpo metodológico, las bases teóricas que estructuran los estudios relacionados al espacio geográfico, al paisaje y a los medios iconográficos (fotografías y postales antiguas). Tomando como base este estudio, se pudo dar a los apoyos iconográficos, como expresión simbólica del paisaje, recortes conectados al espacio. En este sentido, las fotografías y postales se pueden analizar a partir de los estudios del paisaje, implicando la noción de área, de forma de vida, de contenido simbólico (social, cultural, económico y político) y de medios de interpretación del espacio. La metodología adoptada en esta tesis fue analizar el contenido teniendo como base las siguientes categorías: forma (identificar y analizar la distribución de objeto(s) en el conjunto del espacio urbano); función (analizar las tareas / intenciones en el proceso de creación(es) de objeto(s) e identificar las formas de vida de la sociedad en el tiempo y en el espacio); estructura (identificar la estructura demográfica de la producción, del ingreso, del consumo, desde objeto(s) en el tiempo); proceso (identificar, desde las fotografías, postales y publicaciones los principales cambios sociales, culturales, económicos y políticos sucedidos durante el período). El proceso de construcción y análisis de este estudio orienta que la forma de hacer investigación de la ciencia geográfica alimenta otras formas para comprender las marcas en el paisaje de la urbe y, por lo tanto, proporciona (re)leer, (re)escribir y (re)descubrir la ciudad, como una expresión para encontrar y crear otros significados en la lectura geográfica de la ciudad y del espacio urbano como mundos inmediatos.

Machine learning can provide insight and support for a variety of decisions. In some areas of medicine, decision-support models are capable of assisting healthcare practitioners in making accurate diagnoses. In this work we explored the application of these techniques to distinguish between two diseases in veterinary medicine; inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and alimentary lymphoma (ALA). Both disorders are common gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in humans and animals that share very similar clinical and pathological outcomes. Because of these similarities, distinguishing between these two diseases can sometimes be challenging. In order to identify patterns that may help with this differentiation, we retrospectively mined medical records from dogs and cats with histopathologically diagnosed GI diseases. Since the pathology report is the key conveyer of this information in the medical records, our first study focused on its information structure. Other groups have had a similar interest. In 2008, to help insure consistent reporting, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) GI International Standardization Group proposed standards for recording histopathological findings (HF) from GI biopsy samples. In our work, we extend WSAVA efforts and propose an information model (composed of information structure and terminology mapped to the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine - Clinical Terms) to be used when recording histopathological diagnoses (HDX, one or more HF from one or more tissues). Next, our aim was to identify free-text HF not currently expressed in the WSAVA format that may provide evidence for distinguishing between IBD and ALA in cats. As part of this work, we hypothesized that WSAVA-based structured reports would have higher classification accuracy of GI disorders in comparison to use of unstructured free-text format. We trained machine learning models in 60 structured, and independently, 60 unstructured reports. Results show that unstructured information-based models using two machine learning algorithms achieved higher accuracy in predicting the diagnosis when compared to the structured information-based models, and some novel free-text features were identified for possible inclusion in the WSAVA-reports. In our third study, we tested the use of machine learning algorithms to differentiate between IBD and ALA using complete blood count and serum chemistry data. Three models (using naïve Bayes, neural networks, and C4.5 decision trees) were trained and tested on laboratory results for 40 Normal, 40 IBD, and 40 ALA cats. Diagnostic models achieved classification sensitivity ranging between 63% and 71% with naïve Bayes and neural networks being superior. These models can provide another non-invasive diagnostic tool to assist with differentiating between IBD and ALA, and between diseased and non-diseased cats. We believe that relying on our information model for histopathological reporting can lead to a more complete, consistent, and computable knowledgebase in which machine learning algorithms can more efficiently identify these and other disease patterns.
Ph. D.

This research analyzes private and social costs of forest conservation in Yaque del Norte watershed, DR. It calculates private costs as average annual income from farming activities and social costs as the externalities from erosion and CO2 emissions. Social cost estimates are based on the difference in erosion and CO2 between conserved forest and other land use categories. The effect of soil erosion on the wellbeing of people is measured by its effect on reduced space at Tavera dam for water availability to generate electricity and to irrigate agricultural lands downstream. The social cost of increased annual carbon emission from potential land use change is estimated using IPCC default emission factors and social cost of carbon estimates. Private costs are inferred from a nonlinear binary response model that estimates the relative importance of factors affecting forest conservation decisions of households. Results show that payment level, measured through rental value, is not significant for landholders' decisions to sign a PES contract. Annual cropland is the most profitable land use in the area. Other important, but less profitable, land covers are pasture, coffee and managed forest. Cropland also generates the highest cost for society in terms of erosion and CO2 emissions. The comparison of private and social costs shows that only livestock generates a social cost that exceeds average private income. If forest conservation were to be justified based on social benefits, the analysis must include a more comprehensive assessment of what people value from conserved forest in YNW, such as the effect of erosion for water treatment costs. Any proposal to retain forests social benefits, such as REDD+ initiative, should take into account the high cost forgone by forest owners when deciding the distribution of benefits of carbon sequestration.
Master of Science

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) represent today a key tool for the analysis of the territorial context, allowing its visualization and, at the same time, the updating of information with statisticalterritorial content, whose knowledge is essential for an effective understanding and planning of the spatial organization of individuals’ activities. The present work, a thorough study of the student population of the University of Molise in the years 2010-2017, in fact presents the opportunity to test the potential offered by the use of such an innovative approach to geo-territorial analysis. It has been implemented with a methodology of analysis allowing to combine the territorial, cartographic, and locational aspects of the investigated phenomenon, with statistical contents, represented by the set of different sources of socio-economic spatial data linked to it. The research carried out therefore aims to provide a knowledge of the “footprint” of the University of Molise through the use of different geographical approaches. The analysis of the Miur data contributed to define the migratory flows of the Molise students to the different university locations and the chosen degree programs. The study of the geographical origins of students enrolled at the University of Molise has then allowed to understand the degree of attractiveness of the various degree programs offered by the University. Finally, the attention was paid to the flow of students from the various “educational clusters,” that is the sets of local institutes where they obtained their high school degree, representing a different territorial footprint from which the University of Molise draws its students. This allowed us also to confirm that, among the current information support technologies, GIS is the best performing tool for decision support activities.
I sistemi informativi geografici, meglio noti con l’acronimo GIS (Geographic Information System), rappresentano oggi uno strumento di analisi del contesto territoriale in grado di rappresentare e, al contempo, aggiornare le informazioni a contenuto statistico-territoriale, la cui conoscenza è basilare per una efficace comprensione e, conseguentemente, progettazione dell’organizzazione spaziale delle attività degli individui. Il presente lavoro, un approfondito studio della popolazione studentesca dell’Università degli Studi del Molise nel periodo 2010-2017, presenta infatti l’opportunità di dimostrare le potenzialità che il ricorso a tale approccio innovativo di analisi geo-territoriale offre. Esso è stato implementato su una metodologia di analisi in grado di coniugare l’aspetto prettamente territoriale, cartografico e localizzativo del fenomeno indagato con aspetti a contenuto statistico, rappresentati dall’insieme delle diverse fonti di dati spaziali socio-economici ad esso riconducibili. Ciò consente, dunque, di affermare che, tra le attuali tecnologie a supporto dell’informazione, i GIS rappresentano lo strumento più performante per l’attività di supporto alle decisioni. La ricerca condotta ha dunque l’obiettivo di fornire una conoscenza del bacino di utenza dell’Ateneo molisano attraverso l’impiego di approcci geografici diversi. L’analisi dei dati Miur ha contribuito a definire i flussi migratori degli studenti molisani verso le diverse sedi universitarie e i corsi di studi scelti. Lo studio delle provenienze geografiche degli immatricolati all’Ateneo molisano ha consentito invece di comprendere il grado di attrattività dei corsi di studio proposti dall’Ateneo. Infine l’attenzione è stata rivolta a flussi di studenti provenienti dai diversi poli scolastici che rappresentano gli ambiti territoriali da cui l’Università del Molise attinge studenti.

In this thesis I studied the localization and trafficking in living cells of the Extracellular Regulated Kinase signaling by making visible ERK1 and ERK2 with a fluorescent tag. This approach allowed to identify different dynamical properties of the two kinases, posing the bases for the understanding of the functional differences between ERK1 and ERK2. The nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking of tagged ERK1/2 has been measured by means of FRAP experiments. Surprisingly, I found that ERK1 shuttles at a much slower rate than ERK2. Moreover, I demonstrated that this difference is caused by an unique domain of ERK1 located at its N-terminus, since the progressive deletion of these residues converts the shuttling features of ERK1 into those of ERK2. Conversely, the fusion of this ERK1 sequence at the N-terminus of ERK2 slows down its shuttling to a similar value found for ERK1 and, when fused to small cargos such as a GFP monomer, it is capable of hampering their shuttling too. In addition, I identified some crucial aminoacids at ERK1 N-terminus, responsible in large part of this phenotype. Finally, I have demonstrated that the speed of nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling critically affects the ERK capability of activating downstream effectors. In conclusion, I propose a novel biochemical model, in which the regulation of nucleo-cytoplasmic trafficking might provide a sensitive mechanisms through which cells modulate their response to extracellular stimulus. This mechanism significantly contributes to the differential ability of ERK1 and 2 to generate an overall signaling output.

In the first part of the thesis, we consider the following problem. Let G be a homogeneous group, and let (L_1,...,L_n) be a jointly hypoelliptic commutative finite family of formally self-adjoint, homogeneous, left-invariant differential operators without constant terms. Then, the operators L_j are essentially self-adjoint as operators on L^2(G) with domain C^infty_c(G), and their closures commute emph{as self-adjoint operators}. Therefore, one may consider the joint functional calculus associated with the family (L_1,...,L_n). More precisely, for every bounded Borel measurable function $m$ on $R^n$, the corresponding operator m(L_1,...,L_n) commutes with left translations, so that it admits a unique right convolution kernel K(m). The so-defined kernel transform K then maps S(R^n) continuously into S(G), and L^2(eta) isometrically into L^2(G) for some uniquely determined positive Radon measure eta on R^n; this latter property can be considered as an analogue of the Plancherel isomorphism. In addition, K maps L^1(eta) continuously into C_0(G), and this property can be considered as an analogue of the Riemann--Lebesgue lemma. We focus on the following properties of K: (RL) if K(m)in L^1(G), then m can be taken in C_0(R^n): this is again an analogue of the Riemann--Lebesgue lemma; (S) if K(m)in S(G), then m can be taken in S(R^n). We prove that properties (RL) and (S) are compatible with products, and we characterize the Rockland operators which satisfy property (S) when the underlying group G is abelian. We then consider the case of 2-step stratified groups, and families whose elements are either sub-Laplacians or vector fields of homogeneous degree 2. In this setting, we prove several sufficient conditions, as well as some necessary ones, for properties (RL) and (S); we even characterize them in some more specific settings. In addition, we study the case of general (that is, not necessarily homogeneous) sub-Laplacians on 2-step stratified groups, and prove that they always satisfy properties (RL) and (S). We also prove that, under some mild assumptions, a multiplier m can be taken so as to satisfy Mihlin--Hormander conditions of order infinity if and only if the corresponding kernel K(m) satisfies Calderon--Zygmund conditions of order infinity. In the second part of the thesis, we present some results which are joint work with T. Bruno. We fix the standard sub-Laplacian on an H-type group, and consider its heat kernel (p_s)_{s>0}. We provide sharp asymptotic estimates at $infty$ for basically all the derivatives of p_1. Because of the homogeneity of the family (p_s), these estimates can also be considered as short-time asymptotics.

OF THE THESIS TITLED "AUTOHYDROLYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL BYPRODUCTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF XYLO-OLIGOSACCHARIDES"
Débora A. Nabarlatz 
Lignocellulosic biomass is a fully renewable resource that can be used as raw material for the production of a wide variety of ompounds, such as biomass‐derived fuels, power, chemicals or materials. In the present research, agricultural residues typical from the Mediterranean region of Spain, were used for the production of xylo‐oligosaccharides with potential applications in the food and pharmaceutical field.
  
Autohydrolysis reaction was tested at several temperatures and reaction times to produce these xylo‐oligosaccharides. It was found that the increase in the temperature and longer reaction times increased the depolymerization of xylan and the fomation of low molar mass products. Cellulose and lignin remained quantitatively in the solid, which suggests that the solid residue could be used to recover them in a subsequent step. The maximal yield of xylo‐oligosaccharides was around 63 wt% for almond shells at 190°C and 19 min of reaction. The molar mass distribution of the products was very broad (between 100 to 106 g/mol), and was strongly dependent on the reaction conditions and the raw material used.
  
All the xylo‐oligosaccharides obtained by autohydrolysis reaction showed structural features of a partially O‐acetylated 4‐O‐methylglucuronoxylan with different degrees of substitution depending on the raw material where they came from.
  
Several purification methods were tested for the removal of impurities and/or separation in different molecular weight fractions. The precipitation using a non solvent allowed to recover between 85% and 95% of the theoretical 
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xylo‐oligosaccharides for corncobs and almond shells, respectively, obtained at 169°C and 25 min of reaction. The yield of product precipitated tended to be much lower at higher reactions times, since the low molar mass oligomers and monomers were soluble in the ethanol‐water mixture.
  
The ultrafiltration using polymeric membranes seems the most promising method for the removal of low molar mass impurities, and also for the separation in different molecular weight fractions. The results obtained demonstrated that the 1 kDa membrane was the more selective for the removal of lignin‐derived impurities. It was also observed that the increase in the pressure of operation decrease the selectivity, and for this reason the membranes should be operated at low pressure to maximize it, although this will imply a larger area for the same flow rate of permeate.
  
The adsorption of impurities on activated carbons was tested, and it was higher for lignin‐related products than for xylo‐oligosaccharides. The retention for lignin‐derived products was limited because part of them seemed to be linked to the xylo‐oligosaccharides.
  
Preliminary results obtained with the experiments using enzymatic membrane reactors showed that is possible to depolymerize dexrans and separate dextran oligomers in only one step, which suggest that the same treatment could be applied for the production of low molar mass xylo‐oligosaccharides useful for food applications.
  
The antioxidant activity was measured for the different xylo‐oligosaccharides obtained, and it was higher for xylo‐oligosaccharides from corncobs and olive stones. It was found that all of them have a strong antioxidant activity compared with natural products, making them potential candidates for their use as food additives.
  
Preliminary results about the immunomodulatory activity of xylo‐oligosaccharides from almond shells demonstrated that they showed dose‐dependent direct mitogenic as well as comitogenic activities, similarly as the 
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immunogenic water‐soluble arabinoglucuronoxylan from corncobs used as positive control. The activities in the whole doses range were about 30% lower in comparison to the control. Further studies have to be done in the possible applications of these xylo‐oligosaccharides, determining the corresponding combination of reaction/separation process to obtain the required product.
  

DE LA TESIS TITULADA "AUTOHIDRÓLISIS DE RESIDUOS PROCEDENTES DE LA AGRICULTURA PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE XILO-OLIGOSACÁRIDOS"
DÉBORA A. NABARLATZ 
La biomasa lignocelulósica es un recurso completamente renovable, que está cobrando cada vez mayor importancia debido a que puede ser utilizado para la producción de una amplia variedad de comuestos, tales como biocombustibles, biopolímeros, etc. Para esta tesis, se han utilizado diversos residuos procedentes de cultivos agrícolas (típicos de la región del Mediterráneo en España), con el objetivo de producir xilo‐oligosacáridos con potencial aplicación en la industria alimentaria y farmacéutica.
  
Se propuso una etapa de reacción basada en la autohidrólisis para la producción de los xilo‐oligosacáridos. Se estudió el efecto de los parámetros de reacción en las características de los xilo‐oligosacáridos obtenidos, observándose que el incremento en la temperatura de reacción junto con tiempos de reacción más largos, aumentan el grado de depolimerización del xilano y la formación de productos de bajo peso molecular. La celulosa y la lignina permanecen en el sólido, lo que sugiere que dicho residuo sólido puede ser recuperado y utilizado en una etapa subsiguiente para la producción de otroscomponentes. El máximo rendimiento de xilo‐oligosacáridos es alrededor del 63% (peso/peso) para la cáscara de almendra a 190ºC y 19 min de reacción. La distribución de masa molar de los productos (xilo‐oligosacáridos, monómeros y productos de bajo peso molecular) es muy amplia (entre 100 a 106 g/mol), siendo ésta fuertemente dependiente de las condiciones de reacción, y del material original utilizado.   
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La estructura química de los xilo‐oligosacáridos obtenidos es la misma para todos los residuos agrícolas estudiados, siendo en todos los casos del tipo 4‐O‐metil‐glucuronoxilano parcialmente acetilado, con diferentes grados de sustitución dependiendo de la especie de origen.
  
Se evaluaron también diversos métodos de purificación con el objetivo de remover el material de bajo peso molecular, y/o separar en fracciones de diferente peso molecular. La precipitación con un no solvente (etanol) permite recuperar entre el 85% y el 95% (para marlos de maíz y cáscara de almendra, respectivamente) de la cantidad teórica presente en la solución, obtenida a 169ºC y 25 min de reacción. El rendimiento del producto precipitado disminuye considerablemente a tiempos de reacción mayores, debido a que los oligómeros de bajo peso molecular junto con los monómeros permanecen solubles en la mezcla etanol‐agua.
  
La ultrafiltración con membranas poliméricas parece el método más prometedor para la eliminación de impurezas de bajo peso moleular. Los resultados demuestran que la membrana con MWCO 1 kDa es la más selectiva para la eliminación de las impurezas derivadas delignina.
  
La adsorción de impurezas en carbones activados comerciales también fue evaluada. Se pudo observar que la adsorción es mayor para los productos derivados de lignina y las impurezas de bajo peso molecular que ara los xilo‐oligosacáridos. La retención para los compuestos derivados de la lignina se ve limitada porque parte de ellos parecen estar enlazados a los xio‐oligosacáridos.
  
Se han realizado algunos estudios para evaluar las posibles aplicaciones de los xilo‐oligosacáridos obtenidos. Con este propósito, se determinó su actividad antioxidante, encontrando que los procedentes del hueso de oliva o marlos de maíz tenían la mayor actividad antioxidante. Esta actividad es muy alta si se la compara con la actividad antioxidante de frutos naturales, lo que hace a estos xilo‐oligosacáridos candidatos potenciales para su uso como aditivos alimentarios. En un estudio diferente, se evaluó la actividad inmuno‐
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modulatoria de los xilo‐oligosacáridos procedentes de la cáscara de almendra. Se encontró que estos xilo‐oligosacáridos poseen actividad, tanto mitogénica como comitogénica, siendo ésta un 30% menor comparada con la del control.
  
En el futuro, otros estudios deberían llevarse a cabo sobre las posibles aplicaciones de estos xilo‐oligosacáridos, determinando la combinación correspondiente de los pasos de reacción y purificación de acuerdo al producto requerido.

e-Learning is an effective medium for delivering knowledge and skills. In spite of improvements in electronic delivery technologies, e-Learning is still a long way away from offering anything close to efficient and effective learning environments. To improve e-Learning experiences, much literature supports simulation based e-Learning. This thesis begins identifying various types of simulation models and their features that induce experiential learning. We focus on designing and constructing an easy-to-use Discrete Event Simulation (DES) tool for building engaging and informative interactive DES models that allow learners to control the models’ parameters and visualizations through runtime interactions. DES has long been used to support analysis and design of complex systems but its potential to enhance learning has not yet been fully utilized. We first present an application framework and its resulting classes for better structuring DES models. However, importing relevant classes, establishing relationships between their objects and representing lifecycles of various types of active objects in a language that does not support concurrency demand a significant cognitive workload. To improve this situation, we utilize two design patterns to ease model structuring and logic representation (both in time and space) through a drag and drop component approach. The patterns are the Delegation Event Model, used for linking between components and delegating tasks of executing and updating active objects’ lifecycles, and the MVC (Model-View-Controller) pattern, used for connecting the components to their graphical instrumentations and GUIs. Components implementing both design patterns support the process-oriented approach, can easily be tailored to store model states and visualizations, and can be extended to design higher level models through hierarchical simulation development. Evaluating this approach with both teachers and learners using ActionScript as an implementation language in the Flash environment shows that the resulting components not only help model designers with few programming skills to construct DES models, but they also allow learners to conduct various experiments through interactive GUIs and observe the impact of changes to model behaviour through a range of engaging visualizations. Such interactions can motivate learners and make their learning an enjoyable experience.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited.
A Small AUV Navigation System (SANS) is being developed at the Naval Postgraduate School. The SANS is an integrated INS/GPS navigation system composed of low-cost, small-size components. It is designed to demonstrate the feasibility of using a low-cost Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to navigate between intermittent GPS fixes. This thesis presents recent improvements to the SANS hardware and software. The 486-based ESP computer used in the previous version of SANS is now replaced by an AMD 586DX133 based PC/104 computer to provide more computing power, reliability and compatibility with PC/104 industrial standards. The previous SANS navigation filter consisting of a complementary constant gain filter is now aided by an asynchronous Kalman filter. This navigation filter has six states for orientation estimation (constant gain) and eight states for position estimation (Kalman filtered). Low- frequency DGPS noise is explicitly modeled based on an experimentally obtained autocorrelation function. Ocean currents are also modeled as a low-frequency random process. The asynchronous nature of GPS measurements resulting from AUV submergence or wave splash on the DGPS antennas is also taken into account by adopting an asynchronous Kalman filter as the basis for the SANS software. Matlab simulation studies of the asynchronous filter have been conducted and results documented in this thesis.

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2001.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-117).
Guidance and control of autonomous vehicles is a difficult and often calculation-intensive process. Current control approaches limit the functionality of autonomous vehicles. The approach applied in this thesis is to use a discrete-state model of the vehicle dynamics to build a hybrid automaton. By creating a set of stable trim states and building a library of maneuvers, the on-line optimization problem was made significantly simpler. The implementation of the control methodology for an autonomous helicopter was expanded to include three-dimensional path planning and pilot-inspired maneuvers. The hybrid controller was then adapted and applied to an unpowered parafoil in simulation. The parafoil hybrid controller was also implemented on a DSP chip and used in a real-time DSP-processor-based simulation of the system. This demonstrated the ability to apply the hybrid controller logic to a variety of vehicles.
by Byron Stanley.
S.M.

Thesis (MDF)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
In 1997, SACTWU established the SACTWU Educational Trust, which includes the SACTWU bursary programme in aid of tertiary education. In honour of the launch of the trust, the union released a statement, which clarifies the intentions of the organisational decision to focus its resources on education. The General Secretary of SACTWU at the time, Jabo Ngcobo, emphasised the union’s acknowledgement of education as the only tool that can arm people with the required knowledge to make independent decisions. In so doing, education empowers ordinary citizens from the lowest economic ranks, to become confident citizens who are prepared to access the opportunities present in the democratic South Africa. SACTWU remains committed to the priority of the organisation, which is to uplift the working class members of the clothing and textile industry. Hence, in their pursuit of this goal, they decided to extend their network of support to the families of their members. An interview with the National Bursary Officer, Ms. Lizzy Chetty, reveals that the focus of the union is primarily on tertiary education as this is the logical route to ensure that the union makes a direct contribution to the national economy in the short term. This is achieved through empowering previously disadvantaged citizens to become active participants in the economy. In addition, individual members of the union can be acknowledged and supported directly in this viable and easy manner. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of the SACTWU bursary programme. The detailed analysis of the information outlined in Chapter 4 follows in Chapter 5 in order to reach a conclusion about the overall progress of the union’s programme (based on this study’s limited focus on the relevant years i.e. 2004, 2005 & 2006 and regions which include the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape).

Doctor of Philosophy
Department of Animal Sciences and Industry
K C Olson
The objective of this series of studies was to examine select factors that affect behavior of beef cattle grazing native-tallgrass rangelands. Mineral supplements with divergent palatability characteristics were delivered to beef cows grazing native tallgrass range during various seasons of the year in order to measure mineral intake, frequency of supplement use, and duration of supplement use. We concluded that molasses-based mineral supplements influenced the activities of grazing cows more strongly than salt-based mineral supplements. These influences extended to the amount of supplement consumed as well as to the frequency, duration, and timing of use. Diet selection preferences of experienced, multiparous beef cows and naïve, primiparous beef cows grazing dormant, native tallgrass pastures were examined also during a short-term winter grazing bout. Naïve, primiparous cows selected more forbs and fewer grasses than experienced, multiparous cows. Previous research indicated that preference for broadleaf plants generally increased with grazing experience; however, these conclusions were based on research with greater-quality forages than those evaluated in our study. The differences in diet selection patterns between experienced, multiparous cows and naïve, primiparous cows during a short-term winter grazing period could be indicative of differences in long-term foraging strategies. In addition, the botanical composition of diets grazed by lactating beef cows with suckling calves and non-pregnant, non-lactating beef cows grazing either burned or unburned native tallgrass prairie during summer were evaluated. There were no differences in botanical diet composition between lactating cows suckling calves and non-lactating cows. In contrast, total graminoid selection was greater on burned (74.2%) than unburned pastures (71.8%) and total forb selection was greater on unburned (28.2%) than burned pastures (25.8%). We interpreted these data to suggest that forage selection preferences of beef cows can be altered with spring burning of native tallgrass pastures. Effects of large, round hay bale feeding method on intake of smooth bromegrass hay and eating behavior by beef cows were examined on dormant tallgrass prairie pastures during winter. Three large, round hay bale-feeding systems were evaluated: bales fed in a ring feeder, bales unrolled on the ground, and bales chopped with a flail-type hay processor (20-cm particle length) and deposited on the ground. Hay intake, hay refusal, frequency of use, and duration of use were not influenced by hay-feeding method. Foraging behaviors of beef cows in our studies were influenced by supplement type, cow age, and prescribed burning of rangeland. Conversely, foraging behaviors of beef cows were not influenced by lactation or by hay-feeding method.

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática
A agregação de indivíduos em grupos corresponde a um padrão de comportamento típico na forma como são estabelecidas as conexões nos ambientes de redes sociais, onde existe uma grande quantidade e diversidade de informação produzida. Umas das formas de conseguir seleccionar a informação que é de interesse é ter em conta a organização dos utilizadores em grupos de indivíduos interrelacionados pelas suas características, interesses comuns e interacções. No entanto, devido à natureza dinâmica destes ambientes, existe uma necessidade constante de adaptação para que se assegure a utilidade dos grupos formados para os seus membros e se a informação partilhada se revela de utilidade para os utilizadores. Neste trabalho propõe-se uma abordagem para avaliação da relevância da informação produzida no contexto de grupos de utilizadores em redes sociais com vista a suportar uma avaliação da utilidade dos grupos existentes. Esta abordagem contempla as seguintes vertentes: informação produzida por cada utilizador para os seus grupos; caracterização e avaliação da relevância individual de cada utilizador no contexto do grupo; análise da relevância da informação partilhada pelos seus membros no contexto de um grupo. Como forma de validar a abordagem seguida foi desenvolvida uma ferramenta num contexto específico de uma plataforma de rede social (Facebook), ilustrando-se assim as diferentes vertentes mencionadas.

Mestrado em Gestão e Estratégia Industrial
A gestão de desempenho é um tema bastante importante e que, cada vez mais, está presente no seio das empresas enquanto requisito obrigatório para definição e elaboração dos planos estratégicos de negócio. Num contexto de crise, onde as necessidades dos consumidores e clientes se alteram, é importante definir medidas que permitam avaliar corretamente o desempenho, e recolher a perceção dos clientes relativamente ao desempenho da empresa, para poder agir rapidamente para atingir os objetivos de negócio. No presente estudo, através da análise numa organização do sector das bebidas, em específico no canal Horeca, analisa-se a importância de determinados fatores ou medidas de desempenho, apontados pela literatura e enunciados por Slack et al (2010), e também a variação do desempenho da empresa em contexto de crise, comparando os anos de 2009 e 2014. Para fazer essa análise, cuja amostra foi constituída por 421 inquiridos, procedeu-se à elaboração de questionários realizados presencialmente através de administração indireta e contando com a rede de comerciais da organização em estudo. Os resultados demonstraram que, dos fatores de desempenho analisados, como a Qualidade, o Preço/Custo, a Flexibilidade, a Confiabilidade e a Rapidez, a "Qualidade" e o "Preço/Custo" assumem-se como os mais importantes para o sucesso do negócio do canal Horeca. Já o desempenho da empresa conseguiu manter-se em padrões elevados de satisfação, mesmo tendo em conta o contexto de crise.
The performance management is a very important issue that is increasingly present within organizations as mandatory requirement for the definition and development of strategic business plans. In a crisis context, where the needs of consumers and customers change, it's important to define measures to properly measure performance, and collect customers perception about the performance of the company's services and products, to be able to act quickly to achieve business goals. The present TFM, trough an analysis of an organizations of refreshing drinks, particularly in the "Out of Home" channel, analyzes the importance of specific performance factors or measures, collect through literature review and listed by Slack et al (2010), and also the variation in the performance of the company in crisis contexts, comparing the years 2009 and 2014. The sample was composed by 421 respondents in surveys conducted in person through indirect administration and with the help of the company's commercial team. The results demonstrated that, between the performance factors chosen for analysis, that are Quality, Price/Cost, Flexibility, Speed and Dependability, the factos Quality and Price/Cost are assumed as the most important for the success of the "Out of Home" channel, and the business performance of the company keep the satisfaction higher, even in the crisis context.

Publicación a texto completo no autorizada por el autor
Expone información sobre la riqueza florística vascular de la provincia de Parinacochas, en el departamento de Ayacucho, que sirva de insumo para posteriores investigaciones científicas (etnobotánica, económica, ecológica, etc.). Así como de instrumentos de planificación y gestión que permita a los gestores políticos dar un uso racional a su territorio. Los datos florísticos obtenidos sirven de utilidad para la evaluación precisa del tema ambiental en la planificación política, social y económica, principalmente de la región centro-sur andina del país. La recolección de plantas vasculares entre los años 2004 y 2008 se realizan con técnicas estandarizadas, en varias localidades situadas en los distritos de Coracora, Chumpi, Pullo, Puyusca, Pacapausa, Upahuacho y San Francisco de Rivacayco, entre los 2740 - 4500 m de altitud. Los resultados indican una riqueza de 438 taxones infragenéricos (incluyendo especies y subespecies), agrupados en 254 géneros y 85 familias. Las Polypodiophyta constituyen el 4 % del total, con 19 especies en 12 géneros y 9 familias, siendo las Pteridaceae las que presentan la mayor cantidad de taxones infragenéricos. En las Spermatophyta, las Gymnospermae presentan un género y dos especies, mientras que el grupo más grande fue las Angiospermae (monocotiledóneas, eudicotiledóneas y magnoliidas), con 417 especies, en 241 géneros y 75 familias. Las familias con mayor representatividad genérica y específica son Asteraceae, con 86 especies en 47 géneros; Poaceae, con 60 spp/25 g, y Fabaceae con 25 spp/14 g. Los géneros con mayor número de especies son Calceolaria (Calceolariaceae), con 15 taxones infragenéricos y Senecio (Asteraceae) con 12; le siguen Lupinus (Fabaceae) con 9; Baccharis (Asteraceae) y Calamagrostis (Poaceae), con 8 especies. Las formas de crecimiento predominantes son las hierbas (69 % del total) y los arbustos (26 %). Las endémicas constituyen el 11 % del total, con 48 taxones infragenéricos, mientras que 31 taxones infragenéricos están listados en la norma legal vigente sobre especies amenazadas. El presente estudio suma 156 especies más al total de la flora conocida para Ayacucho; el 30 % de ellas pertenece a dos familias Asteraceae y Poaceae. Se concluye que la flora vascular de esta provincia es muy variada, y si bien comparte varios elementos florísticos con otras regiones del sur del país, principalmente de las familias Asteraceae, Poaceae y Fabaceae, los índices de similitud son relativamente bajos.
Tesis

A presente dissertação é consignada ao estudo da temática da filigrana no concelho de Gondomar, por meio da recolha, análise e interpretação de testemunhos orais de artesãos filigraneiros. Analisando em termos histórico-culturais a tradição de trabalhar o ouro no Noroeste peninsular e, mais concretamente, na província do Douro Litoral, exploramosa sua vertente técnica e simbólica, quer o seu cariz de arte popular por excelência e representativa da identidade nacional, quer a simbologia que ostenta no uso tradicional e nas formas nas quais se reproduz. Considerando a urgência de salvaguarda desta arte, face às novas contingências históricas e ao desaparecimento dos seus mais directos intervenientes, reveste-se de máxima importância ir ao encontro dos últimos guardiães deste saber. Deste modo alertamos para a necessidade de valorização de um património imaterial, lançando alguns reptos com vista a uma futura musealização, argumentando as implicações de várias estratégias no reforço da identidade sociocultural da comunidade e do concelho de Gondomar.

O transtorno de pânico (TP) é uma doença de curso crônico e caracteriza-se pela presença de ataques súbitos de ansiedade, acompanhados de sintomas físicos e afetivos, do medo de ter um novo ataque e da evitação de locais ou situações nas quais já ocorreram os ataques de pânico. O tratamento é freqüentemente iniciado com farmacoterapia, porém entre 50 a 80% desses pacientes continuam sintomáticos após a medicação. Estudos têm sugerido que a terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC) individual ou em grupo é uma estratégia de tratamento eficaz para pacientes com TP que falharam em responder ao tratamento farmacológico. Entretanto, pouca atenção tem sido dada à identificação de fatores que influenciam os desfechos de longo-prazo. OBJETIVOS Identificar os preditores de resposta à terapia cognitivo-comportamental em grupo (TCCG) para TP até cinco anos após o término do tratamento e avaliar o impacto dessa resposta na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. MÉTODOS Os participantes são provenientes do Programa de Transtornos de Ansiedade do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, com diagnóstico de TP com ou sem agorafobia, segundo os critérios do DSM-IV, que tenham realizado um protocolo de 12 sessões de TCCG, durante os anos de 1998 a 2004. Para serem incluídos, os pacientes deveriam apresentar sintomas residuais do TP (ataques, ansiedade antecipatória e evitação fóbica), estando em doses estáveis de medicação por pelo menos quatro meses. Para confirmar o diagnóstico de TP e identificar a presença de comorbidades, foi utilizado o instrumento Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (MINI). Os instrumentos Inventário do Pânico, Impressão Clínica Global (CGI) e Hamilton-Ansiedade (HAM-A) foram utilizados para avaliar a gravidade do TP e aplicados antes e depois das 12 sessões de TCCG, no seguimento de um, dois e cinco anos após o término da terapia. A qualidade de vida e o estilo defensivo também foram avaliados através de instrumentos autoaplicados (Whoqol-bref e DSQ-40, respectivamente). Características demográficas, clínicas e psicossociais foram consideradas como potenciais preditores de resposta em curto e longo prazo, e os critérios de remissão (CGI ≤ 2 e ausência de ataques de pânico), recaída (CGI ≥ 3 ou presença de ataques de pânico, após um período de remissão) e não-resposta (CGI ≥ 3 ou presença de ataques de pânico) a TCCG foram considerados como desfechos. RESULTADOS Noventa pacientes (14 grupos, média de 7 participantes) completaram o protocolo de TCCG. A amostra caracterizou-se por apresentar comorbidade com transtorno de humor e outros transtornos de ansiedade. A redução dos sintomas (ansiedade antecipatória, evitações fóbicas, ansiedade geral, ataques de pânico e funcionamento global) foi significativa (p < 0,001) em até cinco anos após o término da terapia. Entretanto, um subgrupo de pacientes apresentou resposta menos favorável, com recaídas do TP após um ano da terapia ou não-resposta a TCCG. Os preditores de recaída foram eventos estressores de vida recentes, principalmente conflitos interpessoais, e o uso de defesas neuróticas. Já a comorbidade com distimia e a ocorrência de eventos estressores foram preditores independentes de não-resposta a TCCG em cinco anos de seguimento. Os resultados confirmaram que os sintomas residuais do TP, como ansiedade antecipatória e agorafobia (p < 0,05), têm maior impacto negativo na qualidade de vida dos pacientes do que ataques de pânico episódicos, e aqueles que não respondem a TCCG em cinco anos também relatam pior qualidade de vida em todos os domínios comparados com os que permaneciam em remissão. CONCLUSÕES A TCCG foi eficaz como um próximo passo em pacientes com TP resistentes ao tratamento farmacológico, com a manutenção dos ganhos através do tempo. A presença de comorbidade com distimia, a ocorrência de eventos estressores de vida e o modo como o indivíduo lida com essas situações parecem influenciar a resposta a TCCG. Novas estratégias poderiam ser adicionadas ao protocolo atual.
INTRODUCTION Panic disorder (PD) is a chronic and recurrent condition characterized by the presence of sudden panic attacks, accompanied by physical and psychological symptoms, as well as by the fear of having a new attack and by the avoidance of places or situations in which the patients have experienced the panic attacks. Pharmacotherapy is frequently the first choice treatment; however 50 to 80% of those patients continue symptomatic after the use of medication. Studies have suggested that individual or group cognitive behavior-therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment strategy for patients with PD who have failed responding to the pharmacological treatment. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to the identification of predictor factors that are associated to the longterm outcome. OBJECTIVE To identify the predictors of outcome to cognitive-behavior group therapy (CBGT) for PD up to five years after the end of the treatment and to evaluate the impact of that treatment response in patients’ quality of life. METHODS The participants come from the Anxiety Disorders Program of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. All patients have PD diagnosis with or without agoraphobia, according to the DSM-IV criteria and had undergone through 12 session protocol of CBGT, from 1998 to 2004. In order to be included in the study, patients should present residual symptoms of PD (panic attacks, anticipatory anxiety and phobic avoidance) and should be on stable doses of medication for at least four months. To confirm the PD diagnosis and to identify the presence of comorbidity, the Mini International Neuropsychiatry Interview (MINI) was used. The Panic Inventory, Global Clinical Impression (CGI) and Hamilton-Anxiety (HAM-A) instruments were used before and after the 12 sessions of CBGT in order to evaluate the severity of the PD, as well as in one, two and five years follow-up period. The quality of life and the defensive style mechanisms were also assessed through self-applied instruments (WHOQOL-bref and DSQ-40, respectively). Demographic, clinical and psychosocial characteristics were evaluated as potential predictors of response in short and long term. The outcome measures were: remission, when CGI ≤ 2 and there was absence of panic attacks, relapse when CGI ≥ 3 or when there was presence of panic attacks, after a remission period and non-response were considered when patients present CGI ≥ 3 or panic attacks without having experienced remission. RESULTS Ninety patients (14 groups, 7 participants’ average) completed the CBGT protocol. The sample was characterized by presenting comorbidity with mood disorder and other anxiety disorders. The reduction of the symptoms (anticipatory anxiety and phobic avoidance, general anxiety, panic attacks and overall functioning) reach statistical significance (p < 0.001) in up to five years after the end of the therapy. However, a subgroup of patients presented a less favorable response, either with relapses of PD after a year of therapy or non-response at all to CBGT. The predictors of relapse were recent stressful life events, mainly interpersonal conflicts, and the use of neurotic defenses. Comorbidity with dysthymia and stressful life events were independent predictors of non-response to CBGT in five years follow-up period. The results corroborate that residual symptoms of PD, as anticipatory anxiety and agoraphobia (p < 0.05), have a larger negative impact in the patients’ quality of life than episodic panic attacks. Finally, patients who do not respond to CBGT in five years also account for the worst quality of life in all of the domains compared to the ones who remained in remission. CONCLUSIONS CBGT was effective as a next step in patients with PD resistant to the pharmacological treatment, with the maintenance of the gains through the time. The comorbidity with dysthymia, the occurrence of life stressful events and the way that an individual deal with these situations seems to influence the response to CBGT. New strategies could be added to the current protocol.

Includes bibliographical refernces.
Social influence can impact various characteristic of individual, including their beliefs, attitude and ultimately their behaviour. Social Marketing is an activity primarily concerned with identifying and modifying socially undesirable behaviours in a given population group. Adolescents typically receive the greatest amount of attention as they are highly prone to engaging in risky behaviour such as binge drinking, smoking and other dangerous activities.

Esta Tesis doctoral representa una nueva formulación del problema del GRCPSP (Generalized Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem) mediante grafos PDM (Precedence Diagramming Method) con fragmentación en entornos realistas, donde las tareas son diferenciadas entre productivas y no productivas y las dependencias entre ellas no se limitan a los ya clásicos valores de dependencia, sino que se incorpora un nuevo concepto de relación de producción, apareciendo relaciones basadas en un cierto nivel de producción necesario de otra tarea para poder comenzar, o cierta producción que quedará pendiente de finalizar una vez finalizada la tarea precedente. Este nuevo enfoque del problema basado en procesos productivos, no solo elimina las paradojas causadas por las tareas críticas inversas o críticas perversas, sino que nos permite aplicar conceptos tradicionales de la planificación de la producción como es la productividad variable ocasionada por el aprendizaje con las repercusiones que esto produce en las relaciones basadas en producción. Además se analizan las naturalezas de los recursos intervinientes en el proyecto, reformulando los costes asociados a los mismos y su repercusión sobre el nuevo modelo propuesto, permitiendo la aplicación de algoritmos de optimización TCTP (Time Cost Trade-Off Problem) que hasta ahora era inviable. Para finalizar se incorpora la borrosidad a los valores intervinientes en el proyecto presentando la formulación de un modelo robusto de planificación de la producción basada en grafos PDM que sirve de punto de partida a la resolución del GRCPSP en entornos realistas.
Ponz Tienda, JL. (2010). GRCPSP Robusto basado en Producción para Proyectos de Edificación y Construcción [Tesis doctoral]. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/8540
Palancia

Mestrado em Gestão
Esta dissertação tem como intuito tentar perceber a relação que existe entre as dimensões da orientação para o mercado, qualidade e responsabilidade social numa PME do sector dos alumínios. Ao tentarmos interligar estes três conceitos podemos observar, que existe um elemento em comum entre elas, ou seja, o foco no cliente. Temos de ter em conta que cada vez mais vivemos num ambiente competitivo e com rápidas mudanças, por isso as empresas tem de desenvolver actividades que estejam centradas no cliente, não só a fim de satisfazer as suas necessidades básicas, como indo além das suas expectativas. Utilizando como instrumento de recolha um questionário, aplicado a diferentes membros da empresa, gestão de topo, colaboradores e clientes, realizou-se uma análise de dados, com o objectivo de observar a aplicação real dos três conceitos numa empresa.
This dissertation has the intention to try to understand the relationship between the dimensions of market orientation, quality and social responsibility in SME in the aluminum sector. When trying to connect these three concepts, we can see that there is a common purpose between them, ie, the customer focus. We must bear in mind that we live in an increasingly competitive environment and rapidly changing, so companies must develop activities that are customerfocused, not only to meet their basic needs, such as going beyond your expectations. Using as a tool for collecting a questionnaire applied to different members of the company, top management, employees and customers, there was a data analysis in order to observe the actual application of the three concepts in an organization.

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2008.
Thesis research directed by: Dept. of Human Development/Institute for Child Study. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.

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Na última década tem-se observado grande interesse no estudo do canal chamado “Correspondente Bancário” como parte do processo de inclusão bancária, ampliação do acesso a crédito e entrega de serviços bancários em comunidades isoladas e/ou carentes do país. Dentre esses estudos podemos depreender a importância do canal para a universalização do acesso a serviços bancários no contexto brasileiro e uma taxonomia dos modelos de operação via “gestores de redes”, empresas voltadas a operacionalização da cadeia de valor que se forma para viabilizar o negócio do correspondente bancário em escala comercial. Considerando os correspondentes bancários como canal de entrega de diversos serviços financeiros ou não, fortemente apoiados no uso de tecnologia da informação, o trabalho teve como principal interesse de pesquisa, expandir o conhecimento a respeito dos arranjos tecnológicos que suportam a operação do canal e dos tipos de serviços ofertados pelas instituições financeiras e gestores de rede, lacuna ainda existente nos estudos sobre o tema. Estes objetivos foram atingidos através da apresentação da tipologia dos arranjos tecnológicos e tipos de serviços atualmente disponíveis no canal de correspondente bancário no contexto brasileiro. Adicionalmente novas classes e tipos de serviços foram definidas e podem ser adicionados ao canal de correspondente bancário. O trabalho utilizou os pressupostos do modelo conceitual multinível estruturacionista que combina moldagem social da tecnologia e contextualismo, incorpora indissociáveis níveis de análise: individual, do grupo e da comunidade local, combinando quatro conceitos fundamentais: a tecnologia-na-prática, a negociação, os grupos sociais relevantes e frames tecnológicos.

2011/2012
L’attività di ricerca qui presentata ha avuto come oggetto lo sviluppo di tecnologie innovative per la produzione di photon beam-position monitor (pBPM) veloci per sincrotroni di terza generazione e laser a elettroni liberi. Tali rivelatori di fotoni sono uno strumento diagnostico utile non solo per le linee che usano la luce di sincrotrone, ma anche per il sistema di controllo dell’acceleratore che la produce. A causa di diverse limitazioni delle tecnologie comunemente usate per la fabbricazione di pBPM, la diagnostica dei fasci di luce non è diffusa né consolidata quanto quella del fascio di particelle, utilizzata per controllare la macchina. Alla luce dei recenti progressi di materiali e strumentazione, si è indirizzata l’attività di ricerca sui rivelatori veloci verso tecnologie allo stato solido quali quelle del diamante monocristallino e dei dispositivi a quantum well, realizzando pBPM innovativi basati su tali tecnologie. In questo documento, dopo un’introduzione al contesto delle sorgenti di luce in cui si è operato, sono riportati e discussi gli aspetti più importanti dello sviluppo di dette tecnologie, corredati dai risultati più significativi delle numerose prove sperimentali cui sono stati sottoposti i rivelatori realizzati.
XXV Ciclo
1983

Diese Arbeit nimmt sich vor, die Wirkungen aber auch die Voraussetzungen zu analysieren, die das Werk der Talmudjude (1871) und die Gedanken seines Autors August Rohling in der zweiten Hälfte des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts aus einem kulturgeschichtlichen Gesichtspunkt in den deutschsprachigen Ländern ausgeübt haben. Am Anfang wird die Lage der deutschen Katholiken im 19. Jahrhundert umgerissen und wie ihr Ressentiment den Juden gegenüber seine Wurzeln sowohl in dem damaligen Minderwertigkeitsgefühl als auch in den mittelalterlichen Legenden schlägt. Besonders wird die Haltung der katholischen Kirche, der Zentrumspartei und der katholischen Presse bezüglich der Judenfrage beschrieben. Nach der Erklärung einiger Schlüsselbegriffe der jüdischen Religion wird dann die Figur Eisenmengers und die Rolle seines Werkes Entdecktes Judenthums ans Licht gebracht, denn Rohling selbst löste viele Zitate aus diesem Werk heraus, um sein Buch zu schreiben. Am Ende wird gezeigt, dass Rohling durch eine anscheinend wissenschaftliche Arbeit aber auch durch Wiederverwertung mittelalterlicher Topoi, die mit dem modernen Antisemitismus gemischt werden, beweisen will, dass das Judentum wegen seiner talmudischen und rabbinischen Schriften nicht mehr eine biblische Religion bildet. Die Unwahrheit dieser Beschuldigung und die Lücken Rohlings in der Kenntnis der hebräischen Sprache und Literatur wurden von Franz Delitzsch bewiesen, gegen den Rohling auch einen Prozess angestrengt aber verloren hatte.

Дисертаційну роботу присвячено дослідженню ролі ендогенної мікробіоти в розвитку гастропатій різної етіології, тобто обгрунтуванню дисбіотичного механізму патогенеза цих захворювань. На підставі експериментальних досліджень було вперше показано, що при дії етіологічних чинників в слизовій оболонці шлунка щурів завжди збільшується рівень біохімічного маркера запалення. Вперше показано, що розвиток гастропатій за механізмом дисбіозу, судячи по збільшенню його ступеню, знижують імунний захист слизової оболонки. Вперше показано, що експериментальна терапія гепатогенної гастропатії (після введення гідразина сульфата) за допомогою комбінованих антидисбіотичних засобів знижує в слизовій оболонці шлунка активність маркера запалення еластази та проявляють тенденцію до зниження рівня уреази. Вперше показана можливість та ефективність стоматогенної профілактики з використанням оральних аплікацій (квертулін, квертулідон, Біотрит, Виноградний), гелів ("Квертулін" і "Цитофлавін") та адреналіну, які зменшують рівень запалення та дисбіозу у слизовій шлунку при експериментальних гастропатіях. Розроблено новий більш ефективний гастропротектор фітогель "Квертулідон" з вмістом біофлавоноїду кверцетину, пребіотика інуліну та імуномодулятора імудону. Отримано дозвіл МОЗ України на його використання, а також на фітогелі "Біотрит" і "Виноградний" та на таблетовані форми леквіну і лекасилу.
The thesis is devoted to the research of endogenous microbiota role in the development of gastropathies of different etiology, i. e. substantiation of the dysbiotic mechanism of these diseases pathogenesis. The author's proposed concept of the pathogenesis of gastropathies based on the idea of dysbiotic mechanisms of non-infectious diseases that occur due to the violation of the interaction of the macroorganism with its endogenous microbiome. The resulting microbial intoxication determines the pathogenesis of a significant number of non-communicable diseases, including, possibly, gastropathies. In experimental studies 325 white Wistar rats were used. They were distributed in 6 experimental series: the influence of various pathogenic factors on the condition of the gastric mucosa; gastroprotective efficacy of bioflavonoid hepatoprotectors in toxic hepatitis; gastroprotective effect of quercetin-containing oral gels in antihelicobacter therapy; gastroprotective efficacy of bioflavonoid drugs in experimental immunodeficiency; gastroprotective effect of oral applications of quertulin or cytoflavin in rats treated with iron deficiency; the effect of adrenaline and quertulin on the condition of the gastric mucosa of rats with dysbiosis. Experimental researches showed that at action of etiological factors the level of biochemical markers of inflammation always increases in a mucous membrane of rats’ stomach. It has been shown for the first time that the development of gastropathies by the mechanism of dysbiosis, judging by its degree increase, reduces the immune protection of the mucous membrane. For the first time it has been shown that experimental therapy of hepatogenic gastropathy (after administration of hydrazine sulfate) with combined antidisbiotics reduces the activity of the marker of inflammation of elastase in the gastric mucosa and tends to reduce urease levels. For the first time the possibility and effectiveness of dental prophylaxis with the use of oral applications (quertulin, quertulidone, Biotrit, Vinogradny), gels ("Quertulin" and "Cytoflavin") and adrenaline was shown. The combinations mentioned reduce the level of inflammation and dysbiosis in the gastric mucosa in experimental gastropathies. The use of antidisbiotic drugs for the prevention and treatment of gastropathies of various origins is proposed. The use of two new polyfunctional antidisbiotics has been developed and substantiated: lequin (lecithin + quercetin + inulin + calcium citrate) and lekasil (lecithin + Silybum marianum flavolignans + inulin + calcium citrate). A new more effective gastroprotector phytogel "Quertulidone" with the content of the bioflavonoid quercetin, the prebiotic inulin and the immunomodulator immudon has been developed. Permission was obtained from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine for its use, as well as for phytogel "Biotrit" and "Vinogradny" and for tablet forms of lequin and lekasil.

Довіра є основоположним елементом соціального капіталу – ключовим фактором підтримки результатів добробуту, включаючи економічний розвиток. Дані кількох досліджень свідчать про те, що ця концепція є основою, на якій будується легітимність державних інституцій, і має вирішальне значення для підтримки соціальної згуртованості. Це також має вирішальне значення для успіху широкого кола державних політик, які залежать від поведінкових реакцій громадськості. Було продемонстровано, що довіра суспільства веде до більшої відповідності нормам та податковій системі. Необхідно підвищити довіру інвесторів і споживачів. Також довіра – це сукупність оцінок різноманітних процесів, що відбуваються в суспільстві, у соціально-економічній сфері, політиці, яка складається із задоволеності населення діяльністю влади щодо виконання її функцій. Більше того, відсутність довіри ставить під загрозу готовність громадян і бізнесу реагувати на державну політику та сприяти стійкому економічному відновленню.
Доверие - это фундаментальный элемент социального капитала, ключевой фактор достижения благополучия, включая экономическое развитие. Данные нескольких исследований показывают, что эта концепция является фундаментом, на котором строится легитимность государственных институтов, и имеет решающее значение для поддержания социальной сплоченности. Это также имеет решающее значение для успеха широкого спектра государственной политики, которая зависит от поведенческой реакции населения. Было продемонстрировано, что общественное доверие ведет к более строгому соблюдению нормативных требований и налоговой системы. Это необходимо для повышения доверия инвесторов и потребителей. Также доверие - это совокупность оценок различных процессов, происходящих в обществе, в социально-экономической сфере, политике, заключающаяся в удовлетворении общественностью действий государства по выполнению своих функций. Более того, отсутствие доверия подрывает готовность граждан и бизнеса реагировать на государственную политику и способствовать устойчивому экономическому восстановлению.
Trust is a fundamental element of social capital – a key contributor to sustaining well-being outcomes, including economic development. Data from several studies suggest that this concept is the foundation upon which public institutions' legitimacy is built and is crucial for maintaining social cohesion. It is also crucial for the success of a wide range of public policies that depend on the public's behavioral responses. It has been demonstrated that public trust leads to greater compliance with regulations and the tax system. It is necessary to increase the confidence of investors and consumers. Also, trust is a set of assessments of various processes taking place in society, in the socio-economic sphere, policy, which consists of public satisfaction with the government's activities to perform its functions. Moreover, lack of trust compromises citizens' and businesses ' willingness to respond to public policies and contribute to a sustainable economic recovery.
This work would not have been possible without the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. The paper was prepared as part of the Young Scientist Research on the topic “Trajectory simulation modeling of the behavioral attractors influence on macroeconomic stability: the role of transparency and public trust” (registration number 0121U100469).

Clinical symptoms of septic hepatitis are accompanied by jaundice, in most children hepatomegaly and hemorrhagic syndrome. The main laboratory criteria for septic hepatitis were: conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (100%), decreased prothrombin index (78%) and increased levels of ALT and AST (72%). The most unfavorable prognosis was observed as a result of penetration of the pathogen into the liver through the umbilical vein. In these cases, morphologically formed necrotic hepatitis with total damage to all parts of the hepatobiliary system. The clinical symptoms of the disease were characterized by severe hepatic insufficiency with impaired basic liver function and very high mortality.

This paper deals with description and evaluation of the specific consumer competition implemented by OMV Česká republika, s.r.o. First part is devoted strictly to theory like consumer competition's place within the marketing mix, legal arrangements and tax aspects of the consumer competitions. Practical part commences with introduction of the company OMV Česká republika, s.r.o., continues with analysis of the Czech lubes market and short excursion to European legislation in the field of lubes. Furthermore, the paper introduces EPG (Engine Protection Guarantee) programme implemented by OMV Česká republika, s.r.o., the consumer competition used as support of this programme and also marketing support of the consumer competition. At the end, the paper is evaluating the whole consumer competition.

The aim of this Master's thesis is to analyze marketing plan of Nova Bank A.D.Banja Luka from the year 2010. The theoretical part of the thesis describes the main parts of any marketing plan and creates the base for practical part of this thesis. Practical part starts with description od Nova Bank A.D. Banja Luka, it takes us deeper into issues. In the next step I'm creating the situation analysis of the bank, which helps me with analysing bank's marketing objectives and strategies. After that I'm evaluating fulfillment of those marketing objectives. In the end I'm trying to think of some new ideas and to suggest possible steps, that could lead to improvement in functioning of the Nova Bank A.D.Banja Luka

The topic of convergence in real GDP per capita has become a very sensitive issue, its results often depending on how the sample group, time period, estimation approach and theoretical concept are chosen. This dissertation presents a study and a convenient explanation of the Mankiw, Romer and Weil's (1992) augmentation of the Solow's (1956) neoclassical growth model and its subsequent empirical application to the EU27 over the period 1970-2010. The application is based on the convergence models designed by the Augmented Solow's model and studies convergence speed and patterns among the EU27 countries. The evidence indicates that the pace of convergence within the EU27 is much slower than what the model predicts. Nevertheless, the analysis shows that an increase in human capital has a stronger impact on per capita GDP and, by extension, on convergence than a similar increase in physical capital.